“My money’s on the big Indian；” someone was saying。
I peeked up to see that Tyler； Mike； Austin； and Ben had their heads bent together； deep in conversation。
“Yeah；” Mike whispered。 “Did you see the size of that Jacob kid？ I think he could take Cullen down。”
Mike sounded pleased by the idea。
“I don’t think so；” Ben disagreed。 “There’s something about Edward。 He’s always so 。 。 。 confident。 I
have a feeling he can take care of himself。”
“I’m with Ben；” Tyler agreed。 “Besides； if that other kid messed Edward up； you know those big brothers
of his would get involved。”
“Have you been down to La Push lately？” Mike asked。 “Lauren and I went to the beach a couple of
weeks ago； and believe me； Jacob’s friends are all just as big as he is。”
“Huh；” Tyler said。 “Too bad it didn’t turn into anything。 Guess we’ll never know how it would have turned
out。”
“It didn’t look over to me；” Austin said。 “Maybe we’ll get to see。”
Mike grinned。 “Anyone in the mood for a bet？”
“Ten on Jacob；” Austin said at once。
“Ten on Cullen；” Tyler chimed in。
“Ten on Edward；” Ben agreed。
“Jacob；” Mike said。
“Hey； do you guys know what it was about？” Austin wondered。 “That might affect the odds。”
“I can guess；” Mike said； and then he shot a glance at me at the same time that Ben and Tyler did。
From their expressions； none of them had realized I was in easy hearing distance。 They all looked away
quickly； shuffling the papers on their desks。
“I still say Jacob；” Mike muttered under his breath。
4。 NATURE
I WAS HAVING A BAD WEEK。
I knew that essentially nothing had changed。 Okay； so Victoria had not given up； but had I ever dreamed
for one moment that she had？ Her reappearance had only confirmed what I’d already known。 No reason for
fresh panic。
In theory。 Not panicking was easier said than done。
Graduation was only a few weeks away； but I wondered if it wasn’t a little foolish to sit around； weak and
tasty； waiting for the next disaster。 It seemed too dangerous to be human — just begging for trouble。 Someone
like me shouldn’t be human。 Someone with my luck ought to be a little less helpless。
But no one would listen to me。
Carlisle had said； “There are seven of us； Bella。 And with Alice on our side； I don’t think Victoria’s going
to catch us off guard。 I think it’s important； for Charlie’s sake； that we stick with the original plan。”
Esme had said； “We’d never allow anything to happen to you； sweetheart。 You know that。 Please don’t
be anxious。” And then she’d kissed my forehead。
Emmett had said； “I’m really glad Edward didn’t kill you。 Everything’s so much more fun with you
around。”
Rosalie had glared at him。
Alice had rolled her eyes and said； “I’m offended。 You’re not honestly worried about this； are you？”
“If it’s no big deal； then why did Edward drag me to Florida？” I’d demanded。
“Haven’t you noticed yet； Bella； that Edward is just the teeniest bit prone to overreaction？”
Jasper had silently erased all the panic and tension in my body with his curious talent of controlling
emotional atmospheres。 I’d felt reassured； and let them talk me out of my desperate pleading。
Of course； that calm had worn off as soon as Edward and I had walked out of the room。
So the consensus was that I was just supposed to forget that a deranged vampire was stalking me； intent
on my death。 Go about my business。
I did try。 And surprisingly； there were other things almost as stressful to dwell on besides my status on the
endangered species list。 。 。 。
Because Edward’s response had been the most frustrating of them all。
“That’s between you and Carlisle；” he’d said。 “Of course； you know that I’m willing to make it between
you and me at any time that you wish。 You know my condition。” And he had smiled angelically。
Ugh。 I did know his condition。 Edward had promised that he would change me himself whenever I wanted
。 。 。 just as long as I was married to him first。
Sometimes I wondered if he was only pretending that he couldn’t read my mind。 How else had he struck
upon the one condition that I would have trouble accepting？ The one condition that would slow me down。
All in all； a very bad week。 And today was the worst day in it。
It was always a bad day when Edward was away。 Alice had foreseen nothing out of the ordinary this
weekend； and so I’d insisted that he take the opportunity to go hunting with his brothers。 I knew how it bored
him to hunt the easy； nearby prey。
“Go have fun；” I’d told him。 “Bag a few mountain lions for me。”
I would never admit to him how hard it was for me when he was gone — how it brought back the
abandonment nightmares。 If he knew that； it would make him feel horrible and he would be afraid to ever
leave me； even for the most necessary reasons。 It had been like that in the beginning； when he’d first returned
from Italy。 His golden eyes had turned black and he’d suffered from his thirst more than it was already
necessary that he suffer。 So I put on a brave face and all but kicked him out the door whenever Emmett and
Jasper wanted to go。
I think he saw through me； though。 A little。 This morning there had been a note left on my pillow：
I’ll be back so soon you won’t have time to miss me。 Look after my heart — I’ve left it with you。
So now I had a big empty Saturday with nothing but my morning shift at Newton’s Olympic Outfitters to
distract me。 And； of course； the ohsoforting promise from Alice。
“I’m staying close to home to hunt。 I’ll only be fifteen minutes away if you need me。 I’ll keep an eye out
for trouble。”
Translation： don’t try anything funny just because Edward is gone。
Alice was certainly just as capable of crippling my truck as Edward was。
I tried to look on the bright side。 After work； I had plans to help Angela with her announcements； so that
would be a distraction。 And Charlie was in an excellent mood due to Edward’s absence； so I might as well
enjoy that while it lasted。 Alice would spend the night with me if I was pathetic enough to ask her to。 And then
tomorrow； Edward would be home。 I would survive。
Not wanting to be ridiculously early for work； I ate my breakfast slowly； one Cheerio at a time。 Then；
when I’d washed the dishes； I arranged the mags on the fridge into a perfect line。 Maybe I was developing
obsessivepulsive disorder。
The last two mags — round black utilitarian pieces that were my favorites because they could hold ten
sheets of paper to the fridge without breaking a sweat — did not want to cooperate with my fixation。 Their
polarities were reversed； every time I tried to line the last one up； the other jumped out of place。
For some reason — impending mania； perhaps — this really irritated me。 Why couldn’t they just play
nice？ Stupid with stubbornness； I kept shoving them together as if I was expecting them to suddenly give up。 I
could have flipped one over； but that felt like losing。 Finally； exasperated at myself more than the mags； I
pulled them from the fridge and held them together with two hands。 It took a little effort — they were strong
enough to put up a fight — but I forced them to coexist sidebyside。
“See；” I said out loud — talking to inanimate objects； never a good sign — “That’s not so horrible； is it？”
I stood there like an idiot for a second； not quite able to admit that I wasn’t having any lasting effect
against scientific principles。 Then； with a sigh； I put the mags back on the fridge； a foot apart。
“There’s no need to be so inflexible；” I muttered。
It was still too early； but I decided I’d better get out of the house before the inanimate objects started
talking back。
When I got to Newton’s； Mike was methodically dry mopping the aisles while his mom arranged a new
counter display。 I caught them in the middle of an argument； unaware that I had arrived。
“But it’s the only time that Tyler can go；” Mike plained。 “You said after graduation —”
“You’re just going to have to wait；” Mrs。 Newton snapped。 “You and Tyler can think of something else to
do。 You are not going to Seattle until the police stop whatever it is that is going on there。 I know Beth
Crowley has told Tyler the same thing； so don’t act like I’m the bad guy — oh； good morning； Bella；” she said
when she caught sight of me； brightening her tone quickly。 “You’re early。”
Karen Newton was the last person I’d think to ask for help in an outdoor sports equipment store。 Her
perfectly highlighted blond hair was always smoothed into an elegant twist on the back of her neck； her
fingernails were polished by professionals； as were her toenails — visible through the strappy high heels that
didn’t resemble anything Newton’s offered on the long row of hiking boots。
“Light traffic；” I joked as I grabbed my hideous fluorescent orange vest out from under the counter。 I was
surprised that Mrs。 Newton was as worked up about this Seattle thing as Charlie。 I’d thought he was going to
extremes。
“Well； er 。 。 。” Mrs。 Newton hesitated for a moment； playing unfortably with a stack of flyers she was
arranging by the register。
I stopped with one arm in my vest。 I knew that look。
When I’d let the Newtons know that I wouldn’t be working here this summer — abandoning them in their
busiest season； in effect — they’d started training Katie Marshall to take my place。 They couldn’t really afford
both of us on the payroll at the same time； so when it looked like a slow day 。 。 。
“I was going to call；” Mrs。 Newton continued。 “I don’t think we’re expecting a ton of business today。
Mike and I can probably handle things。 I’m sorry you got up and drove out。 。 。 。”
On a normal day； I would be ecstatic with this turn of events。 Today 。 。 。 not so much。
“Okay；” I sighed。 My shoulders slumped。 What was I going to do now？
“That’s not fair； Mom；” Mike said。 “If Bella wants to work —”
“No； it’s okay； Mrs。 Newton。 Really； Mike。 I’ve got finals to study for and stuff。 。 。 。” I didn’t want to be
a source of familial discord when they were alre