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Tuesday, January 23rd.

Four months went by surprisingly smooth, in comparison to what I had expected. Cornelia didn't kill anyone on her first day, and melted in surprisingly well with all the sophomores. At lunch time, I would watch her sitting with all her girl friends and suitors, loving every minute of it.

I'd also see Paul, sitting at the seniors' table, eyeing the boys that got too close, making a mental hit list.

I sat with Jacob and Seth and the friends they had made the week before I came to school. We had to pretend we didn't know the pack until we met them, but I automatically clung to Jacob after meeting Austin Newton.

He had all the redeeming qualities of his great-grandfather, which not only created a natural aversion towards him, but also spooked me out more than I'd expected. I went on a date with your great-grandfather, I'd think disgustedly when he talked to me. Therefore, to get him off my back, Jacob and I developed love at first sight and were dating before Columbus Day.

At times, it was awkward. But wasn't our relationship always? From before I was changed the lines were extremely blurred.

Now, at lunch, we'd sit holding hands, sometimes staring into each other's eyes. Some of those times I really was pondering the bizarre relationship I had with Jacob; others, we were communicating in such low voices that no human would notice.

"But doesn't he just smell?" Cornelia asked me once, while hunting.

I shrugged. "Well it keeps my head clear, especially in the cafeteria."

"But you've kissed him!"

I turned on her, my expression wild. "What makes you say that?"

She shrunk slightly in my murderous shadow. "P-Paul mentioned it … once …."

I tried to shake it off. "That was before."

"Before what?"

I sighed. "When I was still human."

Her mouth fell out in a large O. "You remember then?"

I didn't like to tell Cornelia things like this because she'd ask. I didn't like to tell her I remembered. I didn't want to tell her I couldn't forget.

I shrugged. "They check in. Often." I'd added that last bit to try and implicate a warning, but their current absence seemed the most important to him.

"Their smell was faint," he commented, catching my fault.

I didn't respond, I didn't want to be caught up in my lies.

"So if they really did care about you, they wouldn't leave you alone, unprotected, like this, now would they?" he asked in mock disappointment. He paced around unevenly, but I noticed each step brought him closer.

I'm sure they cared about me … he was a different story.

"Bella!" Cornelia yelled.

"Huh?" I shook my head to break out of my reverie. The flashbacks were more constant lately.

"I asked you what I should do."

"About what?"

She groaned, frustrated I wasn't listening. "I said my friends invited me out on Friday night and I told them I'd have to ask. But what should I do? I want to hang out with them, but …."

But relationships with humans were fragile. It was the one thing I drilled in to her head, almost more than don't eat people. It was one thing I wanted her to avoid above everything else.

Hell, she could kill someone, go ahead. As long as she didn't break their heart, leave them for death, without realizing they'd have to work for it.

I took a noticeable step backwards and somehow forced a blush to bloom on my cheeks. I wanted to look scared. He took a step just as large towards me, slowly dropping all pretenses. I thought I saw him lick his lips.

"I'm sorry Bella, you're truly …" he cut off his sentence, finishing it wordlessly by looking me up and down approvingly. "But in spite of that, your blood, it …" he left his sentence hanging again, knowing I knew what he meant.

I was finally still with fear, realizing what I was up to. It was dangerous, reckless, "Run, Bella."

My eyes widened slightly but my expression was frozen. It was him again. His beautiful voice, resonating throughout my head. Like he were next to me. But he wasn't. He was far, far away ….

"They're here!" a girl's voice trilled, catching the attention of the entire table. Convulsively, we all looked up towards the cafeteria doors. Beyond them, I heard the footsteps of six people approaching.

I was curious who we were all waiting for. When I caught the tempo of their steps I counted, 3 … 2 … 1 …

The doors swung open and if I were human I'd have fainted. But since I was made of something more, something stronger, I froze. My mind went blank and my vision tunneled, focusing on one spot in the entire cafeteria.

Vaguely, in the back of my mind, I heard Jake and Seth's breathing hike up, and Jake exhaled in fury. "Him."