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〃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 wasn't sure I wanted that； though。 I would always remember the scent of her
blood—was there any guarantee that I wouldn't eventually follow after her？ Besides； if
she left； her mind would forever remain a mystery。 A constant； nagging puzzle。
〃You have no idea；〃 she said in a low voice； glowering past me for a moment。
Her answers were never what I expected。 They made me want to ask more
questions。
〃Why did you come here； then？〃 I demanded； realizing instantly that my tone was
too accusatory； not casual enough for the conversation。 The question sounded rude；
prying。
〃It's？complicated。〃
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
42
She blinked her wide eyes； leaving it at that； and I nearly imploded out of
curiosity—the curiosity burned as hot as the thirst in my throat。 Actually； I found that it
was getting slightly easier to breathe； the agony was becoming more bearable through
familiarity。
〃I think I can keep up；〃 I insisted。 Perhaps common courtesy would keep her
answering my questions as long as I was rude enough to ask them。
She stared down silently at her hands。 This made me impatient； I wanted to put
my hand under her chin and tilt her head up so that I could read her eyes。 But it would be
foolish of me—dangerous—to touch her skin again。
She looked up suddenly。 It was a relief to be able to see the emotions in her eyes
again。 She spoke in a rush； hurrying through the words。
〃My mother got remarried。〃
Ah； this was human enough； easy to understand。 Sadness passed through her
clear eyes and brought the pucker back between them。
〃That doesn't sound so complex；〃 I said。 My voice was gentle without my
working to make it that way。 Her sadness left me feeling oddly helpless； wishing there
was something I could do to make her feel better。 A strange impulse。 〃When did that
happen？〃
〃Last September。〃 She exhaled heavily—not quite a sigh。 I held my breath as
her warm breath brushed my face。
〃And you don't like him；〃 I guessed； fishing for more information。
〃No； Phil is fine；〃 she said； correcting my assumption。 There was a hint of a
smile now around the corners of her full lips。 〃Too young； maybe； but nice enough。〃
This didn't fit with the scenario I'd been constructing in my head。
〃Why didn't you stay with them？〃 I asked； my voice a little too curious。 It
sounded like I was being nosy。 Which I was； admittedly。
〃Phil travels a lot。 He plays ball for a living。〃 The little smile grew more
pronounced； this career choice amused her。
I smiled； too； without choosing to。 I wasn't trying to make her feel at ease。 Her
smile just made me want to smile in response—to be in on the secret。
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
43
〃Have I heard of him？〃 I ran through the rosters of professional ball players in
my head； wondering which Phil was hers？
〃Probably not。 He doesn't play well。〃 Another smile。 〃Strictly minor league。
He moves around a lot。〃
The rosters in my head shifted instantly； and I'd tabulated a list of possibilities in
less than a second。 At the same time； I was imagining the new scenario。
〃And your mother sent you here so that she could travel with him；〃 I said。
Making assumptions seemed to get more information out of her than questions did。 It
worked again。 Her chin jutted out； and her expression was suddenly stubborn。
〃No； she did not send me here；〃 she said； and her voice had a new； hard edge to it。
My assumption had upset her； though I couldn't quite see how。 〃I sent myself。〃
I could not guess at her meaning； or the source behind her pique。 I was entirely
lost。
So I gave up。 There was just no making sense of the girl。 She wasn't like other
humans。 Maybe the silence of her thoughts and the perfume of her scent were not the
only unusual things about her。
〃I don't understand；〃 I admitted； hating to concede。
She sighed； and stared into my eyes for longer than most normal humans were
able to stand。
〃She stayed with me at first； but she missed him；〃 she explained slowly； her tone
growing more forlorn with each word。 〃It made her unhappy？so I decided it was time
to spend some quality time with Charlie。〃
The tiny pucker between her eyes deepened。
〃But now you're unhappy；〃 I murmured。 I couldn't seem to stop speaking my
hypotheses aloud； hoping to learn from her reactions。 This one； however； did not seem as
far off the mark。
〃And？〃 she said； as if this was not even an aspect to be considered。
I continued to stare into her eyes； feeling that I'd finally gotten my first real
glimpse into her soul。 I saw in that one word where she ranked herself among her own
priorities。 Unlike most humans； her own needs were far down the list。
She was selfless。
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
44
As I saw this； the mystery of the person hiding inside this quiet mind began to
thin a little。
〃That doesn't seem fair；〃 I said。 I shrugged； trying to seem casual； trying to
conceal the intensity of my curiosity。
She laughed； but there was no amusement the sound。 〃Hasn't anyone ever told
you？ Life isn't fair。〃
I wanted to laugh at her words； though I； too； felt no real amusement。 I knew a
little something about the unfairness of life。 〃I believe I have heard that somewhere
before。〃
She stared back at me； seeming confused again。 Her eyes flickered away； and
then came back to mine。
〃So that's all；〃 she told me。
But I was not ready to let this conversation end。 The little V between her eyes； a
remnant of her sorrow； bothered me。 I wanted to smooth it away with my fingertip。 But；
of course； I could not touch her。 It was unsafe in so many ways。
〃You put on a good show。〃 I spoke slowly； still considering this next hypothesis。
〃But I'd be willing to bet that you're suffering more than you let anyone see。〃
She made a face； her eyes narrowing and her mouth twisting into a lopsided pout；
and she looked back towards the front of the class。 She didn't like it when I guessed
right。 She wasn't the average martyr—she didn't want an audience to her pain。
〃Am I wrong？〃
She flinched slightly； but otherwise pretended not to hear me。
That made me smile。 〃I didn't think so。〃
〃Why does it matter to you？〃 she demanded； still staring away。
〃That's a very good question；〃 I admitted； more to myself than to answer her。
Her discernment was better than mine—she saw right to the core of things while I
floundered around the edges； sifting blindly through clues。 The details of her very human
life should not matter to me。 It was wrong for me to care what she thought。 Beyond
protecting my family from suspicion； human thoughts were not significant。
I was not used to being the less intuitive of any pairing。 I relied on my extra
hearing too much—I clearly was not as perceptive as I gave myself credit for。
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
45
The girl sighed and glowered toward the front of the classroom。 Something about
her frustrated expression was humorous。 The whole situation； the whole conv