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He looked down； his lashes casting long shadows across his cheekbones； and dropped his hands from my
face to pick up my frozen left hand。 He played with my fingers while he spoke。
“I was worrying about why you felt that way。”
I tried to swallow。 “That’s not a question； either；” I whispered。
“Please； Bella？”
“The truth？” I asked； only mouthing the words。
“Of course。 I can take it； whatever it is。”
I took a deep breath。 “You’re going to laugh at me。”
His eyes flashed up to mine； shocked。 “Laugh？ I cannot imagine that。”
“You’ll see；” I muttered； and then I sighed。 My face went from white to scarlet in a sudden blaze of
chagrin。 “Okay； fine！ I’m sure this will sound like some big joke to you； but really！ It’s just so 。 。 。 so 。 。 。 so
embarrassing！” I confessed； and I hid my face against his chest again。
There was a brief pause。
“I’m not following you。”
I tilted my head back and glared at him； embarrassment making me lash out； belligerent。
“I’m not that girl； Edward。 The one who gets married right out of high school like some smalltown hick
who got knocked up by her boyfriend！ Do you know what people would think？ Do you realize what century
this is？ People don’t just get married at eighteen！ Not smart people； not responsible； mature people！ I wasn’t
going to be that girl！ That’s not who I am。 。 。 。” I trailed off； losing steam。
Edward’s face was impossible to read as he thought through my answer。
“That’s all？” he finally asked。
I blinked。 “Isn’t that enough？”
“It’s not that you were 。 。 。 more eager for immortality itself than for just me？”
And then； though I’d predicted that he would laugh； I was suddenly the one having hysterics。
“Edward！” I gasped out between the paroxysms of giggles。 “And here 。 。 。 I always 。 。 。 thought that 。 。 。
you were 。 。 。 so much 。 。 。 smarter than me！”
He took me in his arms； and I could feel that he was laughing with me。
“Edward；” I said； managing to speak more clearly with a little effort； “there’s no point to forever without
you。 I wouldn’t want one day without you。”
“Well； that’s a relief；” he said。
“Still 。 。 。 it doesn’t change anything。”
“It’s nice to understand； though。 And I do understand your perspective； Bella； truly I do。 But I’d like it
very much if you’d try to consider mine。”
I’d sobered up by then； so I nodded and struggled to keep the frown off my face。
His liquid gold eyes turned hypnotic as they held mine。
“You see； Bella； I was always that boy。 In my world； I was already a man。 I wasn’t looking for love —
no； I was far too eager to be a soldier for that； I thought of nothing but the idealized glory of the war that they
were selling prospective draftees then — but if I had found 。 。 。” He paused； cocking his head to the side。 “I
was going to say if I had found someone； but that won’t do。 If I had found you； there isn’t a doubt in my mind
how I would have proceeded。 I was that boy； who would have — as soon as I discovered that you were
what I was looking for — gotten down on one knee and endeavored to secure your hand。 I would have
wanted you for eternity； even when the word didn’t have quite the same connotations。”
He smiled his crooked smile at me。
I stared at him with my eyes frozen wide。
“Breathe； Bella；” he reminded me； smiling。
I breathed。
“Can you see my side； Bella； even a little bit？”
And for one second； I could。 I saw myself in a long skirt and a highnecked lace blouse with my hair piled
up on my head。 I saw Edward looking dashing in a light suit with a bouquet of wildflowers in his hand； sitting
beside me on a porch swing。
I shook my head and swallowed。 I was just having Anne of Green Gables flashbacks。
“The thing is； Edward；” I said in a shaky voice； avoiding the question； “in my mind； marriage and eternity
are not mutually exclusive or mutually inclusive concepts。 And since we’re living in my world for the moment；
maybe we should go with the times； if you know what I mean。”
“But on the other hand；” he countered； “you will soon be leaving time behind you altogether。 So why
should the transitory customs of one local culture affect the decision so much？”
I pursed my lips。 “When in Rome？”
He laughed at me。 “You don’t have to say yes or no today； Bella。 It’s good to understand both sides；
though； don’t you think？”
“So your condition 。 。 。 ？”
“Is still in effect。 I do see your point； Bella； but if you want me to change you myself。 。 。 。”
“Dum； dum； dahdum；” I hummed under my breath。 I was going for the wedding march； but it sort of
sounded like a dirge。
Time continued to move too fast。
That night flew by dreamlessly； and then it was morning and graduation was staring me in the face。 I had a
pile of studying to do for my finals that I knew I wouldn’t get halfway through in the few days I had left。
When I came down for breakfast； Charlie was already gone。 He’d left the paper on the table； and that
reminded me that I had some shopping to do。 I hoped the ad for the concert was still running； I needed the
phone number to get the stupid tickets。 It didn’t seem like much of a gift now that all the surprise was gone。 Of
course； trying to surprise Alice wasn’t the brightest plan to begin with。
I meant to flip right back to the entertainment section； but the thick black headline caught my attention。 I
felt a thrill of fear as I leaned closer to read the frontpage story。
SEATTLE TERRORIZED BY SLAYINGS
It’s been less than a decade since the city of Seattle was the hunting ground for the most prolific
serial killer in U。S。 history。 Gary Ridgway； the Green River Killer； was convicted of the murders of
48 women。
And now a beleaguered Seattle must face the possibility that it could be harboring an even more
horrifying monster at this very moment。
The police are not calling the recent rash of homicides and disappearances the work of a serial
killer。 Not yet； at least。 They are reluctant to believe so much carnage could be the work of one
individual。 This killer — if； in fact；