and Jessica didn t speak again； but Jessica peeked at Bella several times； and once her face was brilliant scarlet again for no apparent reason。 Lunch couldn t e fast enough。 I wasn t sure if Jessica would get some of the answers I was waiting for when the class was over； but Bella was quicker than she was。 As soon as the bell sounded； Bella turned to Jessica。 In English； Mike asked me if you said anything about Monday night； Bella said； a smile pulling at the corners of her lips。 I understood this for what is was offence as the best defense。 Mike asked about me？ Joy made Jessica s mind suddenly unguarded； softer； without its usual snide edge。 You re kidding！ What did you say？ I told him you said you had a lot of fun and he looked pleased。 Tell me exactly what he said； and your exact answer！ That was all I was going to get from Jessica today； clearly。 Bella was smiling like she was thinking the same thing。 Like she d won the round。 Well； lunch would be another story。 I would have better success with getting answers out of her than Jessica； I would make sure of that。 I could hardly bear to check in occasionally with Jessica through the fourth hour。 I had no patience for her obsessive thoughts of Mike Newton。 I d had more than enough of him in the last two weeks。 He was lucky to be alive。 I moved apathetically through gym class with Alice； the way we always moved when it came to physical activity with humans。 She was my teammate； naturally。 It was the first day of badminton。 I sighed with boredom； swinging the racket in slow motion to tap the birdie back to the other side。 Lauren Mallory was on the other team； she missed。 Alice was twirling her racket like a baton； staring at the ceiling。 We all hated gym； Emmett especially。 Throwing games was an affront to his personal philosophy。 Gym seemed worse today than usual I felt just as irritated as Emmett always did。
Before my head could explode with impatience； Coach Clapp called the games and sent us out early。 I was ridiculously grateful that he d skipped breakfast a fresh attempt to diet and the consequent hunger had him in a hurry to leave campus to find a greasy lunch somewhere。 He promised himself he would start over tomorrow。。。 This gave me enough time to get to the math building before Bella s class ended。 Enjoy yourself； Alice thought as she headed off to meet Jasper。 Just a few days more to be patient。 I suppose you won t say hi to Bella for me； will you？ I shook my head； exasperated。 Were all psychics so smug？ You might FYI； it s going to be sunny on both sides of the sound this weekend。 want to rearrange your plans。 I sighed as I continued in the opposite direction。 Smug； but definitely useful。 I leaned against the wall by the door； waiting。 I was close enough that I could hear Jessica s voice through the bricks as well as her thoughts。 You re not sitting with us today； are you？ tons she didn t tell me。 She looks all lit up。 I bet there s I don t think so； Bella answered； oddly unsure。 Hadn t I promised to spend lunch with her？ What was she thinking？ They came out of the class together； and both girls eyes widened when they saw me。 But I could only hear Jessica。 Nice。 Wow。 Oh； yeah； there s more going on here than she s telling me。 Maybe I ll call her tonight Or maybe I shouldn t encourage her。 Huh。 I hope he moves past her in a hurry。 Mike is cute but wow。 See you later； Bella。 Bella walked toward me； pausing a step away； still unsure。 across her cheekbones。 Her skin was pink I knew her well enough now to be sure that there was no fear behind her hesitation。 Apparently； this was about some gulf she imagined between her feelings and mine。 More than he likes me。 Absurd！ Hello； I said； my voice a tad curt。 Her face got brighter。 Hi。 She didn t seem inclined to say anything else； so I led the way to the cafeteria and she walked silently beside me。 The jacket had worked her scent was not the blow it usually was。 It was just an intensification of the pain I already felt。 I could ignore it more easily than I once would have believed possible。 Bella was restless as we waited in line； toying absently with the zipper on her jacket and shifting nervously from foot to foot。 She glanced at me often； but whenever she met my gaze； she looked down as if she were embarrassed。 Was this
because so many people were staring at us？ Maybe she could hear the loud whispers the gossip was verbal as well as mental today。 Or maybe she realized； from my expression； that she was in trouble。 She didn t say anything until I was assembling her lunch。 liked not yet so I grabbed one of everything。 What are you doing？ she hissed in a low voice。 me？ I didn t know what she You re not getting all that for Half is for me； of I shook my head； and shoved the tray up to the register。 course。 She raised one eyebrow skeptically； but said nothing more as I paid for the food and escorted her to the table we d sat at last week before her disastrous experience with blood typing。 It seemed like much more than a few days。 Everything was different now。 She sat across from me again。 I pushed the tray toward her。 Take whatever you want； I encouraged。 She picked up an apple and twisted it in her hands； a speculative look on her face。 I m curious。 What a surprise。 What would you do if someone dared you to eat food？ she continued in a low voice that wouldn t carry to human ears。 Immortal ears were another matter； if those ears were paying attention。 I probably should have mentioned something to them earlier You re always curious； I plained。 Oh well。 It wasn t like I hadn t had to eat before。 It was part of the charade。 An unpleasant part。 I reached for the closest thing； and held her eyes while I bite off a small bite of whatever it was。 Without looking； I couldn t tell。 It was as slimy and chunky and repulsive as any other human food。 I chewed swiftly and swallowed； trying to keep the grimace off my face。 The gob of food moved slowly and unfortably down my throat。 I sighed as I thought of how I would have to choke it back up later。 Bella s expression was shocked。 Impressed。 I wanted to roll my eyes。 Disgusting。 Of course we would have perfected such deceptions。 If someone dared you to eat dirt； you could； couldn t you？ Her nose wrinkled and she smiled。 I laughed。 I did once on a dare。 It wasn t so bad。 I suppose I m not surprised。 They look cozy； don t they？ Good body language。 I ll give Bella my take later。 He s leaning toward her just the way he should； if he s interested。 He looks interested。 He looks perfect。 Jessica sighed。 Yum。
I met Jessica s curious eyes； and she looked away nervously； giggling to the girl next to her。 Hmmm。 Probably better to stick to Mike。 Reality； not fantasy She ll break it down Jessica s analyzing everything I do； I informed Bella。 for you later。 I pushed the plate of food back towards her pizza； I realized wondering how best to begin。 My former frustration flared as the words repeated in my head： More than he likes me。 But I don t see how I can help that。 She took a bite from the same slice of pizza。 It amazed me how trusting she was。 Of course； she didn t know I was poisonous not that sharing food would hurt her。 Still； I expected her to treat me differently。 As something other。 She nev