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He leaned toward me； his night…dark eyes melted and smoldered and shattered my
concentration。 〃
Please； Bella？〃 he breathed。
I forgot how to breathe for a moment。 When I recovered； I shook my head
quickly； trying to clear my
suddenly clouded mind。
〃Would this have gone better if I d had time to get a ring。'〃
〃No！ No rings！〃 I very nearly snouted。
〃Now you've done it；〃 he whispered。
〃Oops。〃
〃Charlie's getting up； I'd better leave；〃 Edward said with resignation。
My heart stopped beating。
He gauged my expression for a second。 〃Would it be childish of me to hide in
your closet； then？〃
〃No；〃 I whispered eagerly。 〃Stay。 Please。〃
Edward smiled and disappeared。
I seethed in the darkness as I waited for Charlie to check on me。 Edward knew
exactly what he was
doing； and I was willing to bet that all the injured surprise was part of the
ploy。 Of course； I still had the
Carlisle option； but now that I knew there was a chance that Edward would
change me himself； I wanted
it bad。 He was such a cheater。
My door cracked open。
〃Morning； Dad。〃
〃Oh； hey； Bella。〃 He sounded embarrassed at getting caught。 〃I didn't know you
were awake。〃
〃Yeah。 I've just been waiting ior you to wake up so I could take a shower。〃 I
started to get up。
〃Hold on；〃 Charlie said； flipping the light on。 I blinked in the sudden
brightness； and carefully kept my
eyes away from the closet。 〃Let's talk for a minute first。〃
I couldn't control my grimace。 I'd forgotten to ask Alice for a good excuse。
〃You know you're in trouble。〃
〃Yeah； I know。〃
〃I just about went crazy these last three days。 I e home from Harry's
funeral； and you're gone。
Jacob could only tell me that you'd run off with Alice Cullen； and that he
thought you were in trouble。
You didn't leave me a number； and you didn't call。 I didn't know where you
were or when—or if—you
were ing back。 Do you have any idea how how〃 He couldn't finish the
sentence。 He sucked in a
sharp breath and moved on。 〃Can you give me one reason why I shouldn't ship
you off to Jacksonville
this second？〃
My eyes narrowed。 So it was going to be threats； was it？ Two could play at
that game。 I sat up； pulling
the quilt around me。 〃Because I won't go。〃
〃Now just one minute； young lady—〃
〃Look； Dad； I accept plete responsibility for my actions； and you have the
right to ground me for as
long as you want。 I will also do all the chores and laundry and dishes until
you think I've learned my
lesson。 And I guess you're within your rights if you want to kick me out； too
—but that won't make me to
go to Florida。〃
His face turned bright red。 He took a few deep breaths before he answered。
〃Would you like to explain where you've been？〃
Oh； crap。 〃There was an emergency。〃
He raised his eyebrows in expectation of my brilliant explanation。
I filled my cheeks with air and then blew it out noisily。 〃I don't know what
to tell you； Dad。 It was mostly
a misunderstanding。 He said； she said。 It got out of hand。〃
He waited with a distrustful expression。
〃See； Alice told Rosalie about me jumping off the cliff〃 I was scrambling
frantically to make this work；
to keep it as close to the truth as possible so that my inability to lie
convincingly would not undermine the
excuse； but before I could go on； Charlie's expression reminded me that he
didn't know arything about
thecliff。
Major oops。 As if I wasn't already toast。
〃I guess I didn't tell you about that；〃 I choked out。 〃It was nothing。 Just
messing around； swimming with
Jake。 Anyway； Rosalie told Edward； and he was upset。 She sort of accidentally
made it sound like I wa？
trying to kill myself or something。 He wouldn't answer his phone； so Alice
dragged me to L。A。； to
explain in person。〃 I shrugged； desperately hoping that he would not be so
distracted by my slip that he'd
miss the brilliant explanation I'd provided。
Charlie's face was frozen。 〃Were you trying to kill yourself； Bella？〃
〃No； of course not。 Just having fun with Jake。 Cliff diving。 The La Push kids
do it all the time。 Like I said；
nothing。〃
Charlie's face heated up—from frozen to hot with fury。 〃What's it to Edward
Cullen anyway？〃 he barked。
〃All this time； he's just left you dangling without a word—〃
I interrupted him。 〃Another misunderstanding。〃
His face flushed again。 〃So is he back then？〃
〃I'm not sure what the exact plan is。 I think they all are。〃
He shook his head； the vein in his forehead pulsing。 〃I want you to stay away
from him； Bella。 I don't trust
him。 He's rotten for you。 I won't let him mess you up like that again。〃
〃Fine；〃 I said curtly。
Charlie rocked back onto his heels。 〃Oh。〃 He scrambled for a second； exhaling
loudly in surprise。 〃I
thought you were going to be difficult。〃
〃I am。〃 I stared straight into his eyes。 〃I meant； 'Fine； I'll move out。'〃
His eyes bulged； his face turned puce。 My resolve wavered as I started to
worry about his health。 He
was no younger than Harry
〃Dad； I don't want to move out；〃 I said in a softer tone。 〃I love you。 I know
you're worried； but you need
to trust me on this。 And you're going to have to ease up on Edward if you want
me to stay。 Do you want
me to live here or not？〃
〃That's not fair； Bella。 You know I want you to stay。〃
〃Then be nice to Edward； because he's going to be where I am。〃 I said it with
confidence。 The conviction
of my epiphany was still strong。
〃Not under my roof；〃 Charlie stormed。
I sighed a heavy sigh。 〃Look； I'm not going to give you any more ultimatums
tonight—or I guess it's this
morning。 Just think about it for a few days； okay？ But keep in mind that
Edward and I are sort of a
package deal。〃
〃Bella—〃
〃Think it over；〃 I insisted。 〃And while you're doing that； could you give me
some privacy？ I really need a
shower。〃
Charlie's face was a strange shade of purple； but he left； slamming the door
behind him。 I heard him
stomp furiously down the stairs。
I threw off my quilt； and Edward was already there； sitting in the rocking
chair as if he d been present
through the whole conversation。
〃Sorry about that；〃 I whispered。
〃It's not as if I don't deserve far worse；〃 he murmured。 〃Don't start anything
with Charlie over me； please。
〃
〃Don't worry about it；〃 I breathed as I gathered up my bathroom things and a
set of clean clothes。 〃I will
start exactly as much as is necessary； and no more than that。 Or are you
trying to tell me I have nowhere
to go？〃 I widened my eyes with false alarm。
〃You'd move in with a house full of vampires？〃
〃That's probably the safest place for someone like me。 Besides〃 I grinned。
〃If Charlie kicks me out；
then there's no need for a graduation deadline； is there？〃
His jaw tightened。 〃So eager for eternal damnation；〃 he muttered。
〃You know you don't really believe that。〃
〃Oh； don't I？〃 he fumed。
〃No。 You don't。〃
He glowered at me and started to speak； but I cut him off。
〃If you really believed that you'd lost your soul； then when I found you in
Volterra； you would have
realized immediately what was happening； instead of thinking we were both dead
together。 But you
didn't—you said 'Amazing。 Carlisle was right；'〃 I reminded him； triumphant。
〃There's hope in you； after
all。〃
For once； Edward was speechless。
〃So let's both just be hopeful； all right？〃 I suggested。 〃Not that it matters。
If you stay； I don't need
heaven。〃
He got up slowly； and came to put his hands on either side of my face as he
stared into my eyes。
〃Forever；〃 he vowed； still a little staggered。
〃That's all I'm asking for；〃 I said； and stretched up on my toes so that I
could press my lips to his。
EPILOGUE TREATY
ALMOST EVERYTHING WAS BACK TO NORMAL—THE GOOD； pre…zombie normal—in less
time than I would have believed possible。 The hospital weled Carlisle back
with eager arms； not even
bothering to conceal their delight that Esme had found life in L。A。 so little
to her liking。 Thanks to the
Calculus test I'd missed while abroad； Alice and Edward were in better to
shape to graduate than I was
at the moment。 Suddenly； college was a priority （college was still plan B； on
the off chance that Edward's
offer swayed me from the post…graduation Carlisle option）。 Many deadlines had
passed me by； but
Edward had a new stack of applications for me to fill out every day。 He'd
already done the Harvard
route； so it didn't bother him that； thanks to my procrastination； we might
both end up at Peninsula
munity College next year。
Charlie was not happy with me； or speaking to Edward。 But at least Edward was
allowed—during my
designated visiting hours—inside the house again。 I just wasn't allowed out
of it。
School and work were the only exceptions； and the dreary； dull yellow walls of
my classrooms had
bee oddly inviting to me of late。 That had a lot to do with the person who
sat in the desk beside me。
Edward had resumed his schedule from the beginning of the year； which put him
in most of my classes
again。 My behavior had been such last fall； after the Cullens' supposed move
to L。A。； that the seat beside
me had never been filled。 Even Mike； always eager to ta