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he'd had to leave me to throw James off my trail； Edward had kissed me goodbye； not knowing
when—or if—we would see each other again。 This kiss had the same almost painful edge for some
reason I couldn't imagine。 I shuddered into unconsciousness； as if I were already having a nightmare。
3。 THE END
I FELT ABSOLUTELY HIDEOUS IN THE MORNING。 I HADN'T slept well； my arm burned and
my head ached。 It didn't help my outlook that Edward's face was smooth and remote as he kissed my
forehead quickly and ducked out my window。 I was afraid of the time I'd spent unconscious； afraid that
he might have been thinking about right and wrong again while he watched me sleep。 The anxiety seemed
to ratchet up the intensity of the pounding in my head。
Edward was waiting for me at school； as usual； but his face was still wrong。 There was something buried
in his eyes that I couldn't be sure of—and it scared me。 I didn't want to bring up last night； but I wasn't
sure if avoiding the subject would be worse。
He opened my door for me。
〃How do you feel？〃
〃Perfect；〃 I lied； cringing as the sound of the slamming door echoed in my head。
We walked in silence； he shortening his stride to match mine。 There were so many questions I wanted to
ask； but most of those questions would have to wait； because chey were for Alice： How was Jasper this
morning？ What had they said when I was gone？ What had Rosalie said？ And most importantly； what
could she see happening now in her strange； imperfect visions of the future？ Could she guess what
Edward was thinking； why he was so gloomy？ Was there a foundation for the tenuous； instinctive fears
that I couldn't seem to shake？
The morning passed slowly。 I was impatient to see Alice； though I wouldn't be able to really talk to her
with Edward there。 Edward remained aloof。 Occasionally he would ask about my arm； and I would lie。
Alice usually beat us to lunch； she didn't have to keep pace with a sloth like me。 But she wasn't at the
table； waiting with a tray of food she wouldn't eat。
Edward didn't say anything about her absence。 I wondered to myself if her class was running late—until I
saw Conner and Ben； who were in her fourth hour French class。
〃Where's Alice？〃 I asked Edward anxiously。
He looked at the granola bar he was slowly pulverizing between his fingertips while he answered。 〃She's
with Jasper。〃
〃Is he okay？〃
〃He's gone away for a while。〃
〃What？ Where？〃
Edward shrugged。 〃Nowhere in particular。〃
〃And Alice； too；〃 I said with quiet desperation。 Of course； if Jasper needed her； she would go。
〃Yes。 She'll be gone for a while。 She was trying to convince him to go to Denali。〃
Denali was where the one other band of unique vampires—good ones like the Cullens—lived。 Tanya and
her family。 I'd heard of them now and again。 Edward had run to them last winter when my arrival had
made Forks difficult for him。 Laurent； the most civilized member of James's little coven； had gone there
rather than siding with James against the Cullens。 It made sense for Alice to encourage Jasper to go
there。
I swallowed； trying to dislodge the sudden lump in my throat。 The guilt made my head bow and my
shoulders slump。 I'd run them out of their home； just like Rosalie and Emmett。 I was a plague。
〃Is your arm bothering you？〃 he asked solicitously。
〃Who cares about my stupid arm？〃 I muttered in disgust。
He didn't answer； and I put my head down on the table。
By the end of the day； the silence was being ridiculous。 I didn't want to be the one to break it； but
apparently that was my only choice if I ever wanted him to talk to me again。
〃You'll e over later tonight？〃 I asked as he walked me—silently—to my truck。 He always came over。
〃Later？〃
It pleased me that he seemed surprised。 〃I have to work。 I had to trade with Mrs。 Newton to get
yesterday off。〃
〃Oh；〃 he murmured。
〃So you'll e over when I'm home； though； right？〃 I hated that I felt suddenly unsure about this。
〃If you want me to。〃
〃I always want you；〃 I reminded him； with perhaps a little more intensity than the conversation required。
I expected he would laugh； or smile； or react somehow to my words。
〃All right； then；〃 he said indifferently。
He kissed my forehead again before he shut the door on me。 Then he turned his back and loped
gracefully toward his car。
I was able to drive out of the parking lot before the panic really hit； but I was hyperventilating by the time
I got to Newton's。
He just needed time； I told myself。 He would get over this。 Maybe he was sad because his family was
disappearing。 But Alice and Jasper would e back soon； and Rosalie and Emmett； too。 If it would
help； I would stay away from the big white house on the river—I'd never set foot there again。 That didn't
matter。 I'd still see Alice at school。 She would have to e back for school； right？ And she was at my
place all the time anyway。 She wouldn't want to hurt Charlie's feelings by staying away。
No doubt I would also run into Carlisle with regularity—in the emergency room。
After all； what had happened last night was nothing。 Nothing had happened。 So I fell down—that was
the story of my life。 pared to last spring； it seemed especially unimportant。 James had left me broken
and nearly dead from loss of blood—and yet Edward had handled the interminable weeks in the hospital
much better than this。 Was it because； this time； it wasn't an enemy he'd had to protect me from？
Because it was his brother？
Maybe it would be better if he took me away； rather than his family being scattered。 I grew slightly less
depressed as I considered all the uninterrupted alone time。 If he could just last through the school year；
Charlie wouldn't be able to object。 We could go away to college； or pretend that's what we were doing；
like Rosalie and Emmett this year。 Surely Edward could wait a year。 What was a year to an immortal？ It
didn't even seem like that much to me。
I was able to talk myself into enough posure to handle getting out of the truck and walking to the
store。 Mike Newton had beaten me here t