sounds." 

"What should we do?" Alice mused, her face lighting up at the possibilities. Alice's ideas 
were usually a little grandiose for me, and I could see it in her eyes now - the tendency to 
take things too far kicking into action. 

"Whatever you're thinking, Alice, I doubt I'm that free." 

"Free is free, right?" she insisted. 

"I'm sure I still have boundaries - like the continental U.S., for example." 

Angela and Ben laughed, but Alice grimaced in real disappointment. 

"So what are we doing tonight?" she persisted. 

"Nothing. Look, let's give it a couple of days to make sure he wasn't joking. It's a school 
night, anyway." 

"We'll celebrate this weekend, then." Alice's enthusiasm was impossible to repress. 

"Sure," I said, hoping to placate her. I knew I wasn't going to do anything too outlandish; it 
would be safer to take it slow with Charlie. Give him a chance to appreciate how 
trustworthy and mature I was before I asked for any favors. 

Angela and Alice started talking about options; Ben joined the conversation, setting his 
comics aside. My attention drifted. I was surprised to find that the subject of my freedom was 
suddenly not as gratifying as it had been just a moment ago. While they discussed things to 

 

do in Port Angeles or maybe Hoquiam, I began to feel disgruntled. 

It didn't take long to determine where my restlessness stemmed from. 

Ever since I'd said goodbye to Jacob Black in the forest outside my home, I'd been plagued 
by a persistent, uncomfortable intrusion of a specific mental picture. It popped into my 
thoughts at regular intervals like some annoying alarm clock set to sound every half hour, 
filling my head with the image of Jacob's face crumpled in pain. This was the last memory I 
had of him. 

As the disturbing vision struck again, I knew exactly why I was dissatisfied with my liberty. 
Because it was incomplete. 

Sure, I was free to go to anywhere I wanted - except La Push; free to do anything I wanted - 
except see Jacob. I frowned at the table. There had to be some kind of middle ground. 

"Alice? Alice!" 

Angela's voice yanked me from my reverie. She was waving her hand back and forth in front 
of Alice's blank, staring face. Alice's expression was something I recognized - an expression 
that sent an automatic shock of panic through my body. The vacant look in her eyes told me 
that she was seeing something very different from the mundane lunchroom scene that 
surrounded us, but something that was every bit as real in its own way. Something that was 
coming, something that would happen soon. I felt the blood slither from my face. 

Then Edward laughed, a very natural, relaxed sound. Angela and Ben looked toward him, 
but my eyes were locked on Alice. She jumped suddenly, as if someone had kicked her under 
the table. 

"Is it naptime already, Alice?" Edward teased. 

Alice was herself again. "Sorry, I was daydreaming, I guess." 

"Daydreaming's better than facing two more hours of school," Ben said. 

Alice threw herself back into the conversation with more animation than before - just a little 
bit too much. Once I saw her eyes lock with Edward's, only for a moment, and then she 
looked back to Angela before anyone else noticed. Edward was quiet, playing 
absentmindedly with a strand of my hair. 

I waited anxiously for a chance to ask Edward what Alice had seen in her vision, but the 
afternoon passed without one minute of alone time. 

It felt odd to me, almost deliberate. After lunch, Edward slowed his pace to match Ben's, 
talking about some assignment I knew he'd already finished. Then there was always someone 
else there between classes, though we usually had a few minutes to ourselves. When the final 
bell rang, Edward struck up a conversation with Mike Newton of all people, falling into step 

 

beside him as Mike headed for the parking lot. I trailed behind, letting Edward tow me along. 

I listened, confused, while Mike answered Edward's unusually friendly queries. It seemed 
Mike was having car troubles. 

". . . but I just replaced the battery," Mike was saying. His eyes darted ahead and then back to 
Edward warily. Mystified, just like I was. 

"Perhaps it's the cables?" Edward offered. 

"Maybe. I really don't know anything about cars," Mike admitted. "I need to have someone 
look at it, but I can't afford to take it to Dowling's." 

I opened my mouth to suggest my mechanic, and then snapped it shut again. My mechanic 
was busy these days - busy running around as a giant wolf. 

"I know a few things - I could take a look, if you like," Edward offered. "Just let me drop 
Alice and Bella at home." 

Mike and I both stared at Edward with our mouths hanging open. 

"Er . . . thanks," Mike mumbled when he recovered. "But I have to get to work. Maybe some 
other time." 

"Absolutely." 

"See ya." Mike climbed into his car, shaking his head in disbelief. 

Edward's Volvo, with Alice already inside, was just two cars away. 

"What was that about?" I muttered as Edward held the passenger door for me. 

"Just being helpful," Edward answered. 

And then Alice, waiting in the backseat, was babbling at top speed. 

"You're really not that good a mechanic, Edward. Maybe you should have Rosalie take a look 
at it tonight, just so you look good if Mike decides to let you help, you know. Not that it 
wouldn't be fun to watch his face if Rosalie showed up to help. But since Rosalie is 
supposed to be across the country attending college, I guess that's not the best idea. Too bad. 
Though I suppose, for Mike's car, you'll do. It's only within the finer tunings of a good Italian 
sports car that you're out of your depth. And speaking of Italy and sports cars that I stole 
there, you still owe me a yellow Porsche. I don't know that I want to wait for Christmas. . . ." 

I stopped listening after a minute, letting her quick voice become just a hum in the 
background as I settled into my patient mode. 

It looked to me like Edward was trying to avoid my questions. Fine. He would have to be 

 

alone with me soon enough. It was only a matter of time. 

Edward seemed to realize that, too. He dropped Alice at the mouth of the Cullens' drive as 
usual, though by this point I half expected him to drive her to the door and walk her in. 

As she got out, Alice threw a sharp look at his face. Edward seemed completely at ease. 

"See you later," he said. And then, ever so slightly, he nodded. 

Alice turned to disappear into the trees. 

He was quiet as he turned the car around and headed back to Forks. I waited, wondering if 
he would bring it up himself. He didn't, and this made me tense. What had Alice seen today 
at lunch? Something he didn't want to tell me, and I tried to think of a reason why he would 
keep secrets. Maybe it would be better to prepare myself before I asked. I didn't want to 
freak out and have him think I couldn't handle it, whatever it was. 

So we were both silent until we got to back to Charlie's house. 

"Light homework load tonight," he commented. 

"Mmm," I assented. 

"Do you suppose I'm allowed inside again?" 

"Charlie didn't throw a fit when you picked me up for school." 

But I was sure Charlie was going to turn sulky fast when he got home and found Edward 
here. Maybe I should make something extra-special for dinner. 

Inside, I headed up the stairs, and Edward followed. He lounged on my bed and gazed out 
the window, seeming oblivious to my edginess. 

I stowed my bag and turned the computer on. There was an unanswered e-mail from my 
mom to attend to, and she got panicky when I took too long. I drummed my fingers as I 
waited for my decrepit computer to wheeze awake; they snapped against the desk, staccato 
and anxious. 

And then his fingers were on mine, holding them still. 

"Are we a little impatient today?" he murmured. 

I looked up, intending to make a sarcastic remark, but his face was closer than I'd expected. 
His golden eyes were smoldering, just inches away, and his breath was cool against my open 
lips. I could taste his scent on my tongue. 

I couldn't remember the witty response I'd been about to make. I couldn't remember my 
name. 

 

He didn't give me a chance to recover. 

If I had my way, I would spend the majority of my time kissing Edward. There wasn't 
anything I'd experienced in my life that compared to the feeling of his cool lips, marble hard 
but always so gentle, moving with mine. 

I didn't often get my way. 

So it surprised me a little when his fingers braided themselves into my hair, securing my face 
to his. My arms locked behind his neck, and I wished I was stronger - strong enough to keep 
him prisoner here. One hand slid down my back, pressing me tighter against his stone chest. 
Even through his sweater, his skin was cold enough to make me shiver - it was a shiver of 
pleasure, of happiness, but his hands began to loosen in response. 

I knew I had about three seconds before he would sigh and slide me deftly away, saying 
something about how we'd risked my life enough for one afternoon. Making the most of my 
last seconds, I crushed myself closer, molding myself to the shape of him. The tip of my 
tongue traced the curve of his lower lip; it was as flawlessly smooth as if it had been 
polished, and the taste - 

He pulled my face away from his, breaking my hold with ease - he probably didn't even 
realize that I was using all my strength. 

He chuckled once, a low, throaty sound. His eyes were bright with the excitement he so 
rigidly disciplined. 

"Ah, Bella." He sighed. 

"I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm not." 

"And I should feel sorry that you're not sorry, but I don't. Maybe I should go sit on the bed." 

I exhaled a little dizzily. "If you think that's necessary. . . ." 

He sm