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ullen； staring Lauren Mallory was so jealous that her face； by all rights； should be dark jade in color。 And Jessica； flaunting her new best friend。 What a joke Vitriol continued to spew from the girl s thoughts。 I bet everyone has asked her that。 But I d like to talk to her。 more original question Ashley Dowling mused。 maybe she ll be in my Spanish June Richardson hoped。 I ll think of a tons left to do tonight！ Trig； and the English test。 I hope my mom Angela Weber； a quiet girl； whose thoughts were unusually kind； was the only one at the table who wasn t obsessed with this Bella。 I could hear them all； hear every insignificant thing they were thinking as it passed through their minds。 But nothing at all from the new student with the deceptively municative eyes。 And； of course； I could hear what the girl said when she spoke to Jessica。 I didn t have to read minds to be able to hear her low； clear voice on the far side of the long room。 Which one is the boy with the reddish brown hair？ I heard her ask； sneaking a look at me from the corner of her eye； only to look quickly away when she saw that I was still staring。 If I d had time to hope that hearing the sound of her voice would help me pinpoint the tone of her thoughts； lost somewhere where I couldn t access them； I was instantly disappointed。 Usually； people s thoughts came to them in a similar pitch as their physical voices。 But this quiet； shy voice was unfamiliar； not one of the hundreds of thoughts bouncing around the room； I was sure of that。 Entirely new。 Oh； good luck； idiot！ Jessica thought before answering the girl s question。
That s Edward。 He s gorgeous； of course； but don t waste your time。 He doesn t date。 Apparently none of the girls here are goodlooking enough for him。 She sniffed。 I turned my head away to hide my smile。 Jessica and her classmates had no idea how lucky they were that none of them particularly appealed to me。 Beneath the transient humor； I felt a strange impulse； one I did not clearly understand。 It had something to do with the vicious edge to Jessica s thoughts that the new girl was unaware of I felt the strangest urge to step in between them； to shield this Bella Swan from the darker workings of Jessica s mind。 What an odd thing to feel。 Trying to ferret out the motivations behind the impulse； I examined the new girl one more time。 Perhaps it was just some long buried protective instinct the strong for the weak。 This girl looked more fragile than her new classmates。 Her skin was so translucent it was hard to believe it offered her much defense from the outside world。 I could see the rhythmic pulse of blood through her veins under the clear； pale membrane But I should not concentrate on that。 I was good at this life I d chosen； but I was just as thirsty as Jasper and there was no point in inviting temptation。 There was a faint crease between her eyebrows that she seemed unaware of。 It was unbelievable frustrating！ I could clearly see that it was a strain for her to sit there； to make conversation with strangers； to be the center of attention。 I could sense her shyness from the way she held her fraillooking shoulders； slightly hunched； as if she was expecting a rebuff at any moment。 And yet I could only sense； could only see； could only imagine。 There was nothing but silence from the very unexceptional human girl。 I could hear nothing。 Why？ Shall we？ Rosalie murmured； interrupting my focus。 I looked away from the girl with a sense of relief。 I didn t want to continue to fail at this it irritated me。 And I didn t want to develop any interest in her hidden thoughts simply because they were hidden from me。 No doubt； when I did decipher her thoughts and I would find a way to do so they would be just as petty and trivial as any human s thoughts。 Not worth the effort I would expend to reach them。 So； is the new one afraid of us yet？ Emmett asked； still waiting for my response to his question before。 I shrugged。 He wasn t interested enough to press for a more information。 should I be interested。 We got up from the table and walked out of the cafeteria。 Emmett； Rosalie； and Jasper were pretending to be seniors； they left for their classes。 I was playing a younger role than they。 I headed off for my junior level biology class； preparing my mind for the tedium。 It was doubtful Mr。 Banner； a man of no more than average intellect； would manage to pull out anything in his lecture that would surprise someone holding two graduate degrees in medicine。 Nor
In the classroom； I settled into my chair and let my books props； again； they held nothing I didn t already know spill across the table。 I was the only student who had a table to himself。 The humans weren t smart enough to know that they feared me； but their survival instincts were enough to keep them away。 The room slowly filled as they trickled in from lunch。 I leaned back in my chair and waited for the time to pass。 Again； I wished I was able to sleep。 Because I d been thinking about her； when Angela Weber escorted the new girl through the door； her name intruded on my attention。 Bella seems just as shy as me。 I ll bet today is really hard for her。 could say something but it would probably just sound stupid Yes！ I wish I Mike Newton thought； turning in his seat to watch the girls enter。 The empty space where her Still； from the place where Bella Swan stood； nothing。 thoughts should be irritated and unnerved me。 She came closer； walking down the aisle beside me to get to the teacher s desk。 Poor girl； the seat next to me was the only one available。 Automatically； I cleared what would be her side of the desk； shoving my books into a pile。 I doubted she would feel very fortable there。 She was in for a long semester in this class； at least。 Perhaps； though； sitting beside her； I d be able to flush out her secrets not that I d ever needed close proximity before not that I would find anything worth listening to Bella Swan walked into the flow of the heated air that blew toward me from the vent。 Her scent hit me like wrecking ball； like a battering ram。 There was no image violent enough to encapsulate the force of what happened to me in that moment。 In that instant； I was nothing close to the human I d o