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“Is something wrong？” she asked in a low voice now。 “You seem 。 。 。 anxious。”
I smiled sheepishly。 “Is it that obvious？”
“Not really。”
She was probably lying to make me feel better。
“You don’t have to talk about it unless you want to；” she assured me。 “I’ll listen if you think it will help。”
I was about to say thanks； but no thanks。 After all； there were just too many secrets I was bound to
keep。 I really couldn’t discuss my problems with someone human。 That was against the rules。
And yet； with a strange； sudden intensity； that’s exactly what I wanted。 I wanted to talk to a normal human
girlfriend。 I wanted to moan a little bit； like any other teenage girl。 I wanted my problems to be that simple。 It
would also be nice to have someone outside the whole vampirewerewolf mess to put things in perspective。
Someone unbiased。
“I’ll mind my own business；” Angela promised； smiling down at the address she was working on。
“No；” I said。 “You’re right。 I am anxious。 It’s 。 。 。 it’s Edward。”
“What’s wrong？”
It was so easy to talk to Angela。 When she asked a question like that； I could tell that she wasn’t just
morbidly curious or looking for gossip； like Jessica would have been。 She cared that I was upset。
“Oh； he’s mad at me。”
“That’s hard to imagine；” she said。 “What’s he mad about？”
I sighed。 “Do you remember Jacob Black？”
“Ah；” she said。
“Yeah。”
“He’s jealous。”
“No； not jealous 。 。 。” I should have kept my mouth shut。 There was no way to explain this right。 But I
wanted to keep talking anyway。 I hadn’t realized I was so starved for human conversation。 “Edward thinks
Jacob is 。 。 。 a bad influence； I guess。 Sort of 。 。 。 dangerous。 You know how much trouble I got in a few
months back。 。 。 。 It’s all ridiculous； though。”
I was surprised to see Angela shaking her head。
“What？” I asked。
“Bella； I’ve seen how Jacob Black looks at you。 I’d bet the real problem is jealousy。”
“It’s not like that with Jacob。”
“For you； maybe。 But for Jacob 。 。 。”
I frowned。 “Jacob knows how I feel。 I’ve told him everything。”
“Edward’s only human； Bella。 He’s going to react like any other boy。”
I grimaced。 I didn’t have a response to that。
She patted my hand。 “He’ll get over it。”
“I hope so。 Jake’s going through kind of a tough time。 He needs me。”
“You and Jacob are pretty close； aren’t you？”
“Like family；” I agreed。
“And Edward doesn’t like him。 。 。 。 That must be hard。 I wonder how Ben would handle that？” she
mused。
I halfsmiled。 “Probably just like any other boy。”
She grinned。 “Probably。”
Then she changed the subject。 Angela wasn’t one to pry； and she seemed to sense I wouldn’t — couldn’t
— say any more。
“I got my dorm assignment yesterday。 The farthest building from campus； naturally。”
“Does Ben know where he’s staying yet？”
“The closest dorm to campus。 He’s got all the luck。 How about you？ Did you decide where you’re going？
”
I stared down； concentrating on the clumsy scrawl of my handwriting。 For a second I was distracted by
the thought of Angela and Ben at the University of Washington。 They would be off to Seattle in just a few
months。 Would it be safe then？ Would the wild young vampire menace have moved elsewhere？ Would there
be a new place by then； some other city flinching from horrormovie headlines？
Would those new headlines be my fault？
I tried to shake it off and answered her question a beat late。 “Alaska； I think。 The university there in
Juneau。”
I could hear the surprise in her voice。 “Alaska？ Oh。 Really？ I mean； that’s great。 I just figured you’d go
somewhere 。 。 。 warmer。”
I laughed a little； still staring at the envelope。 “Yeah。 Forks has really changed my perspective on life。”
“And Edward？”
Though his name set butterflies fluttering in my stomach； I looked up and grinned at her。 “Alaska’s not too
cold for Edward； either。”
She grinned back。 “Of course not。” And then she sighed。 “It’s so far。 You won’t be able to e home
very often。 I’ll miss you。 Will you email me？”
A swell of quiet sadness crashed over me； maybe it was a mistake to get closer to Angela now。 But
wouldn’t it be sadder still to miss out on these last chances？ I shook off the unhappy thoughts； so that I could
answer her teasingly。
“If I can type again after this。” I nodded toward the stack of envelopes I’d done。
We laughed； and it was easy then to chat cheerfully about classes and majors while we finished the rest —
all I had to do was not think about it。 Anyway； there were more urgent things to worry about today。
I helped her put the stamps on； too。 I was afraid to leave。
“How’s your hand？” she asked。
I flexed my fingers。 “I think I’ll recover the full use of it 。 。 。 someday。”
The door banged downstairs； and we both looked up。
“Ang？” Ben called。
I tried to smile； but my lips trembled。 “I guess that’s my cue to leave。”
“You don’t have to go。 Though he’s probably going to describe the movie for me 。 。 。 in detail。”
“Charlie will be wondering where I am anyway。”
“Thanks for helping me。”
“I had a good time； actually。 We should do something like this again。 It was nice to have some girl time。”
“Definitely。”
There was a light knock on the bedroom door。
“e in； Ben；” Angela said。
I got up and stretched。
“Hey； Bella！ You survived；” Ben greeted me quickly before going to take my place by Angela。 He eyed
our work。 “Nice job。 Too bad there’s nothing left to do； I would have 。 。 。” He let the thought trail off； and
then restarted excitedly。 “Ang； I can’t believe you missed this one！ It was awesome。 There was this final fight
sequence — the choreography was unbelievable！ This one guy — well； you’re going to have to see it to know
what I’m talking about —”
Angela rolled her eyes at me。
“See you at school；” I said with a nervous laugh。
She sighed。 “See you。”
I was jumpy on the way out to my truck； but the street was empty。 I spent the whole drive glancing
anxiously in all my mirr