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Jasper who knew each other's every mood as well as their own。 As if they could read
minds； too—only just each other's。
Edward Cullen。
Reflex reaction。 I turned to the sound of my name being called； though it wasn't
being called； just thought。
My eyes locked for a small portion of a second with a pair of wide； chocolate…
brown human eyes set in a pale； heart…shaped face。 I knew the face； though I'd never
seen it myself before this moment。 It had been foremost in every human head today。 The
new student； Isabella Swan。 Daughter of the town's chief of police； brought to live here
by some new custody situation。 Bella。 She'd corrected everyone who'd used her full
name？
I looked away； bored。 It took me a second to realize that she had not been the one
to think my name。
Of course she's already crushing on the Cullens； I heard the first thought
continue。
Now I recognized the 'voice。' Jessica Stanley—it had been a while since she'd
bothered me with her internal chatter。 What a relief it had been when she'd gotten over
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
5
her misplaced infatuation。 It used to be nearly impossible to escape her constant；
ridiculous daydreams。 I'd wished； at the time； that I could explain to her exactly what
would have happened if my lips； and the teeth behind them； had gotten anywhere near
her。 That would have silenced those annoying fantasies。 The thought of her reaction
almost made me smile。
Fat lot of good it will do her； Jessica went on。 She's really not even pretty。 I
don't know why Eric is staring so much？or Mike。
She winced mentally on the last name。 Her new infatuation； the generically
popular Mike Newton； was completely oblivious to her。 Apparently； he was not as
oblivious to the new girl。 Like the child with the shiny object again。 This put a mean
edge to Jessica's thoughts； though she was outwardly cordial to the newcomer as she
explained to her the commonly held knowledge about my family。 The new student must
have asked about us。
Everyone's looking at me today； too； Jessica thought smugly in an aside。 Isn't it
lucky Bella had two classes with me？I'll bet Mike will want to ask me what she's—
I tried to block the inane chatter out of my head before the petty and the trivial
could drive me mad。
〃Jessica Stanley is giving the new Swan girl all the dirty laundry on the Cullen
clan；〃 I murmured to Emmett as a distraction。
He chuckled under his breath。 I hope she's making it good； he thought。
〃Rather unimaginative； actually。 Just the barest hint of scandal。 Not an ounce of
horror。 I'm a little disappointed。〃
And the new girl？ Is she disappointed in the gossip as well？
I listened to hear what this new girl； Bella； thought of Jessica's story。 What did
she see when she looked at the strange； chalky…skinned family that was universally
avoided？
It was sort of my responsibility to know her reaction。 I acted as a lookout； for
lack of a better word； for my family。 To protect us。 If anyone ever grew suspicious； I
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