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ninety…eight point six degrees。 The heat shot through my hand and up my arm。 She
yanked her hand out from under mine。
〃I'm sorry；〃 I muttered through my clenched teeth。 Needing somewhere to look； I
grasped the microscope and stared briefly into the eyepiece。 She was right。
〃Prophase；〃 I agreed。
I was still too unsettled to look at her。 Breathing as quietly as I could through my
gritted teeth and trying to ignore the fiery thirst； I concentrated on the simple assignment；
writing the word on the appropriate line on the lab sheet； and then switching out the first
slide for the next。
What was she thinking now？ What had that felt like to her； when I had touched
her hand？ My skin must have been ice cold—repulsive。 No wonder she was so quiet。
I glanced at the slide。
〃Anaphase；〃 I said to myself as I wrote it on the second line。
〃May I？〃 she asked。
I looked up at her； surprised to see that she was waiting expectantly； one hand
half…stretched toward the microscope。 She didn't look afraid。 Did she really think I'd
gotten the answer wrong？
I couldn't help but smile at the hopeful look on her face as I slid the microscope
toward her。
She stared into the eyepiece with an eagerness that quickly faded。 The corners of
her mouth turned down。
〃Slide three？〃 she asked； not looking up from the microscope； but holding out her
hand。 I dropped the next slide into her hand； not letting my skin come anywhere close to
hers this time。 Sitting beside her was like sitting next to a heat lamp。 I could feel myself
warming slightly to the higher temperature。
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She did not look at the slide for long。 〃Interphase；〃 she said nonchalantly—
perhaps trying a little too hard to sound that way—and pushed the microscope to me。
She did not touch the paper； but waited for me to write the answer。 I checked—she was
correct again。
We finished this way； speaking one word at a time and never meeting each other's
eyes。 We were the only ones done—the others in the class were having a harder time
with the lab。 Mike Newton seemed to be having trouble concentrating—he was trying to
watch Bella and me。
Wish he'd stayed wherever he went； Mike thought； eyeing me sulfurously。 Hmm；
interesting。 I hadn't realized the boy harbored any ill will towards me。 This was a new
development； about as recent as the girl's arrival it seemed。 Even more interesting； I
found—to my surprise—that the feeling was mutual。
I looked down at the girl again； bemused by the wide range of havoc and upheaval
that； despite her ordinary； unthreatening appearance； she was wreaking on my life。
It wasn't that I couldn't see what Mike was going on about。 She was actually
rather pretty？in an unusual way。 Better than being beautiful； her face was interesting。
Not quite symmetrical—her narrow chin out of balance with her wide cheekbones；
extreme in the coloring—the light and dark contrast of her skin and her hair； and then
there were the eyes； brimming over with silent secrets？
Eyes that were suddenly boring into mine。
I stared back at her； trying to guess even one of those secrets。
〃Did you get contacts？〃 she asked abruptly。
What a strange question。 〃No。〃 I almost smiled at the idea of improving my
eyesight。
〃Oh；〃 she mumbled。 〃I thought there was something different about your eyes。〃
I felt suddenly colder again as I realized that I was apparently not the only one
attempting to ferret out secrets today。
I shrugged； my shoulders stiff； and glared straight ahead to where the teacher was
making his rounds。
Of course there was something different about my eyes since the last time she'd
stared into them。 To prepare myself for today's ordeal； today's temptation； I'd spent the
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entire weekend hunting； satiating my thirst as much as possible； overdoing it really。 I'd
glutted myself on the blood of animals； not that it made much difference in the face of the
outrageous flavor floating on the air around her。 When I'd glared at her last； my eyes had
been black with thirst。 Now； my body swimming with blood； my eyes were a warmer
gold。 Light amber from my excessive attempt at thirst…quenching。
Another slip。 If I'd seen what she'd meant with her question； I could have just
told her yes。
I'd sat beside humans for two years now at this school； and she was the first to
examine me closely enough to note the change in my eye color。 The others； while
admiring the beauty of my family； tended to look down quickly when we returned their
stares。 They shied away； blocking the details of our appearances in an instinctive
endeavor to keep themselves from understanding。 Ignorance was bliss to the human
mind。
Why did it have to be this girl who would see too much？
Mr。 Banner approached our table。 I gratefully inhaled the gush of clean air he
brought with him before it could mix with her scent。
〃So； Edward；〃 he said； looking over our answers； 〃didn't you think Isabella
should get a chance with the microscope？〃
〃Bella；〃 I corrected him reflexively。 〃Actually； she identified three of the five。〃
Mr。 Banner's thoughts were skeptical as he turned to look at the girl。 〃Have you
done this lab before？〃
I watched； engrossed； as she smiled； looking slightly embarrassed。
〃Not with onion root。〃
〃Whitefish blastula？〃 Mr。 Banner probed。
〃Yeah。〃
This surprised him。 Today's lab was something he'd pulled from a more
advanced course。 He nodded thoughtfully at the girl。 〃Were you in an advanced
placement program in Phoenix？〃
〃Yes。〃
She was advanced then； intelligent for a human。 This did not surprise me。
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〃Well；〃 Mr。 Banner said； pursing his lips。 〃I guess it's good you two are lab
partners。〃 He turned and walked away mumbling； 〃So the other kids can get a chance to
learn something for themselves；〃 under his breath。 I doubted the girl could hear that。
She began scrawling loops across her folder again。
Two slips so far in one half hour。 A very poor showing on my part。 Though I had
no idea at all what the girl thought of me—how much did she fear； how much did she
suspect？—I knew I needed to put forth a better effort to leave her with a new impression
of me。 Something to better drown her memories of our ferocious last encounter。
〃It's too bad about the snow； isn't it？〃 I said； repeating the small talk that I'd
heard a dozen students discuss already。 A boring； standard topic of conversation。 The
weather—always safe。
She stared at me with obvious doubt in her eyes—an abnormal reaction to my
very normal words。 〃Not really；〃 she said； surprising me again。
I tried to steer the conversation back to trite paths。 She was from a much brighter；
warmer place—her skin seemed to reflect that somehow； despite its fairness—and the
cold must make her uncomfortable。 My icy touch certainly had？
〃You don't like the cold；〃 I guessed。
〃Or the wet；〃 she agreed。
〃Forks must be a difficult place for you to live。〃 Perhaps you should not have
come here； I wanted to add。 Perhaps you should go back where you belong。
I was