d I laughed out loud； interrupting Mr。 Mason s announcements。 I tried to turn the laugh into a cough； but no one was fooled。 Mr。 Mason shot me an irritated look； but I didn t even bother to listen to the thought behind it。 I was hearing Jessica。 Huh。 She sounds like she s telling the truth。 Why is she making me pull this out of her； word by word？ I would be bragging at the top of my lungs if it were me。 Was it like a date did you tell him to meet you there？ Jessica watched surprise cross Bella s expression； and was disappointed at how genuine it seemed。
No I was very surprised to see him there； Bella told her。 What is going on？？ to the story。 But he picked you up for school today？ There has to be more Yes that was a surprise； too。 He noticed I didn t have a jacket last night。 That s not very much fun； Jessica thought； disappointed again。 I was tired of her line of questioning I wanted to hear something I didn t already know。 I hoped she wasn t so dissatisfied that she would skip the questions I was waiting for。 So are you going out again？ Jessica demanded。 He offered to drive me to Seattle Saturday because he thinks my truck isn t up to it does that count？ Hmm。 He sure is going out of his way to well； take care of her； sort of。 There must be something there on his side； if not on hers。 How could THAT be？ Bella s crazy。 Yes； Jessica answered Bella s question。 Well； then； Bella concluded。 Wow Edward Cullen。 Yes。 Whether she likes him or not； this is major。 I know； Bella sighed。 The tone of her voice encouraged Jessica。 She must realize Wait！ Jessica said； suddenly remembering her most vital question。 kissed you？ Please say yes。 And then describe every second！ Has he Finally she sounds like she gets it！ No； Bella mumbled； and then she looked down at her hands； her face falling。 It s not like that。 Damn。 I wish Ha。 Looks like she does to。 I frowned。 Bella did look upset about something； but it couldn t be disappointment like Jessica assumed。 She couldn t want that。 Not knowing what she knew。 She couldn t want to be that close to my teeth。 For all she knew； I had fangs。 I shuddered。 Do you think Saturday ？ Jessica prodded。 Bella looked even more frustrated as she said； I really doubt it。 Yeah； she does wish。 That sucks for her。 Was it because I was watching all this through the filter of Jessica s perceptions that it seemed like Jessica was right？
For a halfsecond I was distracted by the idea； the impossibility； of what it would be like to try to kiss her。 My lips to her lips； cold stone to warm； yielding silk And then she dies。 I shook my head； wincing； and made myself pay attention。 What did you talk about？ Did you talk to him； or did you make him drag every ounce of information out of you like this？ I smiled ruefully。 Jessica wasn t far off。 We talked about the English essay a little。 I don t know； Jess； lots of stuff。 A very little。 Oh； c MON。 I smiled wider。 Please； Bella！ Give me some details。 Bella deliberated for a moment。 Well okay； I ve got one。 You should have seen the waitress flirting with him it was over the top。 But he didn t pay any attention to her at all。 What a strange detail to share。 I was surprised Bella had even noticed。 seemed a very inconsequential thing。 Interesting Hmm。 That s a good sign。 Was she pretty？ Must be a female thing。 It Jessica thought more of it that I did。 Very； Bella told her。 And probably nieen or twenty。 Jessica was momentarily distracted by a memory of Mike on her date Monday night Mike being a little too friendly with a waitress who Jessica did not consider pretty at all。 She shoved the memory away and returned； stifling her irritation； to her quest for details。 Even better。 He must like you。 I think so； Bella said slowly； and I was on the edge of my seat； my body rigidly still。 But it s hard to tell。 He s always so cryptic。 I must not have been as transparently obvious and out of control as I d thought。 Still observant as she was How could she not realize that I was in love with her？ I sifted through our conversation； almost surprised that I hadn t said the words out loud。 It had felt like that knowledge had been the subtext of every word between us。 Wow。 How do you sit there across from a male model and make conversation？ I don t know how you re brave enough to be alone with him； Jessica said。 Shock flashed across Bella s face。 Weird reaction。 Why？ He s so What s the right word？ What does she think I meant？
Intimidating。 I wouldn t know what to say to him。 I couldn t even speak English to him today； and all he said was good morning。 I must have sounded like such an idiot。 Bella smiled。 I do have some trouble with incoherency when I m around him。 She was almost unnaturally selfShe must be trying to make Jessica feel better。 possessed when we were together。 Oh well； Jessica sighed。 He is unbelievably gorgeous。 Bella s face was suddenly colder。 Her eyes flashed the same way they did when she resented some injustice。 Jessica didn t process the change in her expression。 There s a lot more to him than that； Bella snapped。 Oooh。 Now we re getting somewhere。 Really？ Like what？ Bella gnawed her lip for a moment。 I can t explain it right； she finally said。 But he s even more unbelievable behind the face。 She looked away from Jessica； her eyes slightly unfocused as if she was staring at something very far away。 The feeling I felt now was loosely similar to how it felt when Carlisle or Esme praised me beyond what I deserved。 Similar； but more intense； more consuming。 Sell stupid somewhere else there s nothing better than that face！ body。 Swoon。 Is that possible？ Jessica giggled。 Unless it s his Bella didn t turn。 She continued to stare into the distance； ignoring Jessica。 A normal person would be gloating。 Maybe if I keep the questions simple。 Ha ha。 Like I m talking to a kindergartener。 So you like him； then？ I was rigid again。 Bella didn t look at Jessica。 Yes。 I mean； do you really like him？ Yes。 Look at that blush！ I was。 How much do you like him？ Jessica demanded。 The English room could have gone up in flames and I wouldn t have noticed。 Bella s face was bright red now I could almost feel the heat from the mental picture。 Too much； she whispered。 help that。 Shoot！ More than he likes me。 But I don t see how I can What did Mr。 Varner just ask？ Um which number； Mr。 Varner？ I needed a minute。 It was good that Jessica could no longer quiz Bella。
What on earth was that girl thinking now？ More than he likes me？ How did she e up with that？ But I don t see how I can help that？ What was that supposed to mean？ I couldn t fit a rational explanation to the words。 They were practically senseless。 It seemed I couldn t take anything for granted。 Obvious things； things that made perfect sense； somehow got twisted up and turned backwards in that bizarre brain of hers。 More than he likes me？ Maybe I shouldn t rule out the institution just yet。 I glared at the clock； gritting my teeth。 How could mere minutes feel so impossibly long to an immortal？ Where was my perspective？ My jaw was tight throughout Mr。 Varner s entire trigonometry lesson。 I heard more of that than the lecture in my own class。 Bella and Jessica didn t speak again； but Jessica peeked at Bella several times； and once her face was bri