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could　give　us　early　warning　and　an　easy　retreat。　　It　happened　occasionally—some　human　
with　an　active　imagination　would　see　in　us　the　characters　of　a　book　or　a　movie。　　Usually　
they　got　it　wrong；　but　it　was　better　to　move　on　somewhere　new　than　to　risk　scrutiny。　
？　2008　Stephenie　Meyer　
　
6　

Very；　very　rarely；　someone　would　guess　right。　　We　didn't　give　them　a　chance　to　test　their　
hypothesis。　　We　simply　disappeared；　to　become　no　more　than　a　frightening　memory？　
I　heard　nothing；　though　I　listened　close　beside　where　Jessica's　frivolous　internal　
monologue　continued　to　gush。　　It　was　as　if　there　was　no　one　sitting　beside　her。　　How　
peculiar；　had　the　girl　moved？　　That　didn't　seem　likely；　as　Jessica　was　still　babbling　to　her。　
I　looked　up　to　check；　feeling　off…balance。　　Checking　on　what　my　extra　'hearing'　could　tell　
me—it　wasn't　something　I　ever　had　to　do。　
Again；　my　gaze　locked　on　those　same　wide　brown　eyes。　　She　was　sitting　right　
where　she　had　been　before；　and　looking　at　us；　a　natural　thing　to　be　doing；　I　supposed；　as　
Jessica　was　still　regaling　her　with　the　local　gossip　about　the　Cullens。　
Thinking　about　us；　too；　would　be　natural。　
But　I　couldn't　hear　a　whisper。　
Inviting　warm　red　stained　her　cheeks　as　she　looked　down；　away　from　the　
embarrassing　gaffe　of　getting　caught　staring　at　a　stranger。　　It　was　good　that　Jasper　was　
still　gazing　out　the　window。　　I　didn't　like　to　imagine　what　that　easy　pooling　of　blood　
would　do　to　his　control。　
The　emotions　had　been　as　clear　on　her　face　as　if　they　were　spelled　out　in　words　
across　her　forehead：　surprise；　as　she　unknowingly　absorbed　the　signs　of　the　subtle　
differences　between　her　kind　and　mine；　curiosity；　as　she　listened　to　Jessica's　tale；　and　
something　more？fascination？　　It　wouldn't　be　the　first　time。　　We　were　beautiful　to　them；　
our　intended　prey。　　Then；　finally；　embarrassment　as　I　caught　her　staring　at　me。　
And　yet；　though　her　thoughts　had　been　so　clear　in　her　odd　eyes—odd；　because　of　
the　depth　to　them；　brown　eyes　often　seemed　flat　in　their　darkness—I　could　hear　nothing　
but　silence　from　the　place　she　was　sitting。　　Nothing　at　all。　
I　felt　a　moment　of　unease。　
This　was　nothing　I'd　ever　encountered　before。　　Was　there　something　wrong　with　
me？　　I　felt　exactly　the　same　as　I　always　did。　　Worried；　I　listened　harder。　
All　the　voices　I'd　been　blocking　were　suddenly　shouting　in　my　head。　
？wonder　what　music　she　likes？maybe　I　could　mention　that　new　CD？　Mike　
Newton　was　thinking；　two　tables　away—fixated　on　Bella　Swan。　
？　2008　Stephenie　Meyer　
　
7　

Look　at　him　staring　at　her。　　Isn't　it　enough　that　he　has　half　the　girls　in　school　
waiting　for　him　to？　Eric　Yorkie　was　thinking　sulfurous　thoughts；　also　revolving　around　
the　girl。　
？so　disgusting。　　You'd　think　she　was　famous　or　something？　Even　Edward　
Cullen；　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。　　I'll　think　of　a　
more　original　question？　Ashley　Dowling　mused。　
？maybe　she'll　be　in　my　Spanish？　　June　Richardson　hoped。　
？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　
communicative　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　good…looking　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。　
？　2008　Stephenie　Meyer　
　
8　

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　frail…looking　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。　　Nor　
should　I　be　interested。　
We　got　up　from　the　table　and　walked　out　of　the　cafeteria。　
？　2008　Stephenie　Meyer　
　
9　

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。　
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。　　I　wish　I　could　
say　something？but　it　would　probably　just　sound　stupid？　
Yes！　　Mike　Newton　thought；　turning　in　his　seat　to　watch　the　girls　enter。　
Still；　from　the　place　where　Bella　Swan　stood；　nothing。　　The　empty　space　where　
her　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　comfortable　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　once　been；　no　trace　of　the　
shreds　of　humanity　I'd　managed　to　cloak　myself　in　remained。　
？　2008　Stephenie　Meyer　
　
10　

I　was　a　predator。　　She　was　my　prey。　　There　was　nothing　else　in　the　whole　world　
but　that　truth。　
There　was　no　room　full　of　witnesses—they　were　already　collateral　damage　in　my　
head。　　The　mystery　of　her　thoughts　was　forgotten。　　Her　thoughts　meant　nothing；　for　she　
would　not　go　on　thinking　them　much　longer。　
I　was　a　vampire；　and　she　had　the　sweetest　blood　I'd　smelled　in　eighty　years。　
I　hadn't　imagined　such　a　scent　could　exist。　　If　I'd　known　it　did；　I　would　have　gone　
searching　for　it　long　ago。　　I　would　have　combed　the　planet　for　her。　　I　could　imagine　the　
taste？　
Thirst　burned　through　my　throat　like　fire。　　My　mouth　was　baked　and　desiccated。　
The　fresh　flow　of　venom　did　nothing　to　dispel　that　sensation。　　My　stomach　twisted　with　
the　hunger　that　was　an　echo　of　the　thirst。　　My　muscles　coiled　to　spring。