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again？ And if I touched her once； would I be able to stop at that？
No more mistakes。 That was it。 Savor the memory； Edward； I told myself grimly；
and keep your hands to yourself。 That； or I would have to force myself to
leave？somehow。 Because I couldn't allow myself near her if I insisted on making
errors。
I took a deep breath and tried to steady my thoughts。
Emmett caught up to me outside the English building。
〃Hey； Edward。〃 He's looking better。 Weird； but better。 Happy。
〃Hey； Em。〃 Did I look happy？ I supposed； despite the chaos in my head； I felt
that way。
Way to keep your mouth shut； kid。 Rosalie wants to rip your tongue out。
I sighed。 〃Sorry I left you to deal with that。 Are you angry with me？〃
〃Naw。 Rose'll get over it。 It was bound to happen anyway。〃 With what Alice
sees coming？
Alice's visions were not what I wanted to think about right now。 I stared forward；
my teeth locking together。
As I searched for a distraction； I caught sight of Ben Cheney entering the Spanish
room ahead of us。 Ah—here was my chance to give Angela Weber her gift。
I stopped walking and caught Emmett's arm。 〃Hold on a second。〃
What's up？
〃I know I don't deserve it； but would you do me a favor anyway？〃
〃What is it？〃 he asked； curious。
Under my breath—and at a speed that would have made the words
incomprehensible to a human no matter how loud they'd been spoken—I explained to
him what I wanted。
He stared at me blankly when I was done； his thoughts as blank as his face。
〃So？〃 I prompted。 〃Will you help me do it？〃
It took him a minute to respond。 〃But； why？〃
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〃C'mon； Emmett。 Why not？〃
Who are you and what have you done with my brother？
〃Aren't you the one who complains that school is always the same？ This is
something a little different； isn't it？ Consider it an experiment—an experiment in human
nature。〃
He stared at me for another moment before he caved。 〃Well； it is different； I'll
give you that？ Okay； fine。〃 Emmett snorted and then shrugged。 〃I'll help you。〃
I grinned at him； feeling more enthusiastic about my plan now that he was on
board。 Rosalie was a pain； but I would always owe her one for choosing Emmett； no one
had a better brother than mine。
Emmett didn't need to practice。 I whispered his lines to him once under my
breath as we walked into the classroom。
Ben was already in his seat behind mine； assembling his homework to hand in。
Emmett and I both sat and did the same thing。 The classroom was not quiet yet； the
murmur of subdued conversation would continue until Mrs。 Goff called for attention。
She was in no hurry； appraising the quizzes from the last class。
〃So；〃 Emmett said； his voice louder than necessary—if he were really speaking
only to me。 〃Did you ask Angela Weber out yet？〃
The sound of papers rustling behind me came to an abrupt stop as Ben froze； his
attention suddenly riveted on our conversation。
Angela？ They're talking about Angela？
Good。 I had his interest。
〃No；〃 I said； shaking my head slowly to appear regretful。
〃Why not？〃 Emmett improvised。 〃Are you chicken？〃
I grimaced at him。 〃No。 I heard that she was interested in someone else。〃
Edward Cullen was going to ask Angela out？ But？ No。 I don't like that。 I don't
want him near her。 He's？not right for her。 Not？safe。
I hadn't anticipated the chivalry； the protective instinct。 I'd been working for
jealousy。 But whatever worked。
〃You're going to let that stop you？〃 Emmett asked scornfully； improvising again。
〃Not up for the competition？〃
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I glared at him； but made used of what he gave me。 〃Look； I guess she really
likes this Ben person。 I'm not going to try to convince her otherwise。 There are other
girls。〃
The reaction in the chair behind me was electric。
〃Who？〃 Emmett asked； back to the script。
〃My lab partner said it was some kid named Cheney。 I'm not sure I know who he
is。〃
I bit back my smile。 Only the haughty Cullens could get away with pretending
not to know every student at this tiny school。
Ben's head was whirling with shock。 Me？ Over Edward Cullen？ But why would
she like me？
〃Edward；〃 Emmett muttered in a lower tone； rolling his eyes toward the boy。
〃He's right behind you；〃 he mouthed； so obviously that the human could easily read the
words。
〃Oh；〃 I muttered back。
I turned in my seat and glanced once at the boy behind me。 For a second； the
black eyes behind the glasses were frightened； but then he stiffened and squared his
narrow shoulders； affronted by my clearly disparaging evaluation。 His chin shot out and
an angry flush darkened his golden…brown skin。
〃Huh；〃 I said arrogantly as I turned back to Emmett。
He thinks he's better than me。 But Angela doesn't。 I'll show him？
Perfect。
〃Didn't you say she was taking Yorkie to the dance； though？〃 Emmett asked；
snorting as he said the name of the boy that many scorned for his awkwardness。
〃That was a group decision apparently。〃 I wanted to be sure that Ben was clear
on this。 〃Angela's shy。 If B—well； if a guy doesn't have the nerve to ask her out； she'd
never ask him。〃
〃You like shy girls；〃 Emmett said； back to improvisation。 Quiet girls。 Girls
like？hmm； I don't know。 Maybe Bella Swan？
I grinned at him。 〃Exactly。〃 Then I returned to the performance。 〃Maybe Angela
will get tired of waiting。 Maybe I'll ask her to the prom。〃
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No； you won't； Ben thought； straightening up in his chair。 So what if she's so
much taller than me？ If she doesn't care； then neither do I。 She's the nicest； smartest；
prettiest girl in this school？ and she wants me。
I liked this Ben。 He seemed bright and well…meaning。 Maybe even worthy of a
girl like Angela。
I gave Emmett a thumbs up under the desk as Mrs。 Goff stood and greeted the
class。
Okay； I'll admit it—that was sort of fun； Emmett thought。
I smiled to myself； pleased that I'd been able to shape one love story's happy
ending。 I was positive that Ben would follow through； and Angela would receive my
anonymous gift。 My debt was repaid。
How silly humans were； to let a six inch height differential confound their
happiness。
My success put me in a good mood。 I smiled again as I settled into my chair and
prepared to be entertained。 After all； as Bella had pointed out at lunch； I'd never seen her
in action in her gym class before。
Mike's thoughts were the easiest to pinpoint in the babble of voices that swarmed
through the gym。 His mind had gotten far too familiar over the last few weeks。 With a
sigh； I resigned myself to listening through him。 At least I could be sure that he would be
paying attention to Bella。
I was just in time to hear him offer to be her badminton partner； as he made the
suggestion； other partnerings ran through his mind。 My smile faded； my teeth clenched
together； and I had to remind myself that murdering Mike Newton was not a permissible
option。
〃Thanks； Mike—you don't have to do this； you know。〃
〃Don't worry； I'll keep out of your way。〃
They grinned at each other； and flashes of