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.This didn t surprise me.She was responsible shealways did the right thing.She was my opposite. I ll see you later then, I said, trying for casual again, staring down at thewhirling lid.And, by the way, I adore you& in frightening, dangerous ways.She hesitated, and I hoped for a moment that she would stay with me after all.But the bell rang and she hurried away.I waited until she was gone, and then I put the lid in my pocket a souvenir ofthis most consequential conversation and walked through the rain to my car.I put on my favorite calming CD the same one I d listened to that first day butI wasn t hearing Debussy s notes for long.Other notes were running through my head, afragment of a tune that pleased and intrigued me.I turned down the stereo and listened tothe music in my head, playing with the fragment until it evolved into a fuller harmony.Instinctively, my fingers moved in the air over imaginary piano keys.The new composition was really coming along when my attention was caught bya wave of mental anguish.I looked toward the distress.Is she going to pass out? What do I do? Mike panicked.A hundred yards away, Mike Newton was lowering Bella s limp body to thesidewalk.She slumped unresponsively against the wet concrete, her eyes closed, her skinchalky as a corpse.I almost took the door off the car.© 2008 Stephenie Meyer 126 Bella? I shouted.There was no change in her lifeless face when I yelled her name.My whole body went colder than ice.I was aware of Mike s aggravated surprise as I sifted furiously through histhoughts.He was only thinking of his anger toward me, so I didn t know what waswrong with Bella.If he d done something to harm her, I would annihilate him. What s wrong is she hurt? I demanded, trying to focus his thoughts.It wasmaddening to have to walk at a human pace.I should not have called attention to myapproach.Then I could hear her heart beating and her even breath.As I watched, shesqueezed her eyes more tightly shut.That eased some of my panic.I saw a flicker of memories in Mike s head, a splash of images from the Biologyroom.Bella s head on our table, her fair skin turning green.Drops of red against thewhite cards&Blood typing.I stopped where I was, holding my breath.Her scent was one thing, her flowingblood was another altogether. I think she s fainted, Mike said, anxious and resentful at the same time. Idon t know what happened, she didn t even stick her finger. Relief washed through me, and I breathed again, tasting the air.Ah, I could smellthe tiny flow of Mike Newton s puncture wound.Once, that might have appealed to me.I knelt beside her while Mike hovered next to me, furious at my intervention. Bella.Can you hear me? No, she moaned. Go away. The relief was so exquisite that I laughed.She was fine. I was taking her to the nurse, Mike said. But she wouldn t go any farther. I ll take her.You can go back to class, I said dismissively.Mike s teeth clenched together. No.I m supposed to do it. I wasn t going to stand around arguing with the wretch.Thrilled and terrified, half-grateful to and half-aggrieved by the predicamentwhich made touching her a necessity, I gently lifted Bella from the sidewalk and held her© 2008 Stephenie Meyer 127in my arms, touching only her clothes, keeping as much distance between our bodies aspossible.I was striding forward in the same movement, in a hurry to have her safefarther away from me, in other words.Her eyes popped open, astonished. Put me down, she ordered in a weak voice embarrassed again, I guessed fromher expression.She didn t like to show weakness.I barely heard Mike s shouted protest behind us. You look awful, I told her, grinning because there was nothing wrong with herbut a light head and a weak stomach. Put me back on the sidewalk, she said.Her lips were white. So you faint at the sight of blood? Could it get any more ironic?She closed her eyes and pressed her lips together. And not even your own blood, I added, my grin widening.We were to the front office.The door was propped an inch open, and I kicked itout of my way.Ms.Cope jumped, startled. Oh, my, she gasped as she examined the ashen girlin my arms. She fainted in Biology, I explained, before her imagination could get too out ofhand.Ms.Cope hurried to open the door to the nurse s office.Bella s eyes were openagain, watching her.I heard the elderly nurse s internal astonishment as I laid the girlcarefully on the one shabby bed.As soon as Bella was out of my arms, I put the width ofthe room between us.My body was too excited, too eager, my muscles tense and thevenom flowing.She was so warm and fragrant. She s just a little faint, I reassured Mrs.Hammond. They re blood typing inbiology. She nodded, understanding now. There s always one. I stifled a laugh.Trust Bella to be that one. Just lie down for a minute, honey, Mrs.Hammond said. It ll pass. I know, Bella said. Does this happen often? the nurse asked.© 2008 Stephenie Meyer 128 Sometimes, Bella admitted.I tried to disguise my laughter as coughing.This brought me to the nurse s attention. You can go back to class now, shesaid
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