A/N: FINALLY, an update! I was going to publish this yesterday, but the staff of the Twilight Lexicon decided to have a little fun with their site for April Fool's Day. While it was a really interesting joke, it meant that I couldn't access their wealth of information on the series, so I couldn't check for anachronisms or details I had missed. I didn't want this next update to be anything less than perfect!

I also wanted to thank those who have reviewed this story - The Shadow 111, liveurlifexx3, ohxmyxria, bree123, prettypinkbookworm, Wormy40, and migamoo !! Thanks so much for your input! It's really what keeps me going, so keep reviewing! And as for those of you who have not reviewed... wags finger

I also promised a clue for my little contest to see who can spot my mistakes in Chapter 4! I hope this hint isn't too obvious...Try remembering what I said about Leah before, and what it says now! If you can figure it out, you get the next update early! If you can figure out the other mistake (which does NOT have to do with Leah but is the same kind of error) you will get both this update early AND the next one, so get on it!

"He seems no worse for the wear," Embry offered, obviously trying to console me. I picked morosely at my salad. Since we'd left the hospital we'd tried to discuss other things besides Quil, but the conversation kept turning back to him.

"He'll forgive you, I'm sure," said Leah from across the table. Jacob looked up sharply from his burger.

"'Course he will. Why even suggest that he wouldn't?" He asked.

"I didn't," Leah practically hissed through her teeth, defenses up. "I was trying to be helpful."

"Well, you sure aren't being successful," he muttered.

"Guys," Seth broke in above them both, surprising everyone. Although he'd been a casual, confident kid before the accident, he'd retreated into his own mind for the entire day.

My eyes rose finally from my food, and I saw the kindly waitress waiting for us to place our dessert orders. I was no longer hungry, but the guys each ordered cheesecake and ice cream, and Leah got coffee.

"We should go hang out with Quil tomorrow," Jacob said to Embry.

"Yeah. Lizzie, we'll pick you up."

"Okay," I agreed. I still felt guilty, but I would never pass up time with the guys. It surprised me how much we'd been hanging out recently, but I liked it.

The boys received and wolfed down their food in the same instant. We paid with a few crumpled bills and walked in a clump back to the truck, Leah always ahead of us lest someone think she actually enjoyed our company.

I was the first to be dropped off.

"See you tomorrow, then," Embry said out of his open passenger side window. I gave him a little wave as he rolled it up. Just before it closed completely and a second after I turned away, I heard a howl of laughter from within the vehicle.

"Elizabeth Ann Weber. Why didn't you call me?"

I winced as I shut the front door behind me, turning to face the wrath of my mother. It would seem that she had had some time on her hands to devise a particularly scathing rant, since the twins had been at a friend's house all afternoon.

"I'm sorry, I-"

"I thought you would be gone until two at the latest, and then I come to find out that there had been an accident from Embry's mother – I even called your cell phone, only to hear it ring in the kitchen! The reason your father and I agreed to let you have that thing is so we could reach you, and you don't even keep it with you - and then you didn't come home until dinnertime!"

She was still yelling, but I saw the usual distraction flash in her eyes, dulling the anger. I was sure the words "nearly dinnertime" had reminded her that it was time to go pick up the boys. If I played my cards right, I could probably end the rant now.

"I'm really, really sorry, Mom. It won't happen again." I inched my way towards the kitchen. "But you'll be glad to know that everyone is all right."

Seemingly placated, my mother's face smoothed out. "I'm glad. You weren't riding one of those bikes, were you? They're dangerous!"

"No, don't worry. I was just planning on watching."

"Alright, well, I have to go pick up the Terrible Twosome." She smiled then, andI could see the tiredness in it.

"Okay. I'll start dinner."

She reached to give me a quick hug before she left. "Thanks, Sweetie."

As I was breaking up the hamburger meat for tacos, my phone, plugged into the wall outlet above the kitchen counter, started going off. Ears hurt, as always, by the poor quality of the ringtone, I reached over and flipped it open without checking to see who was calling.

"Hello?"

"Hey Lizzie. It's Seth."

"Seth?" I glanced at the unfamiliar number on my phone's screen. "Hey. What's up?"

"Nothing…sorry for bugging you. Jacob gave me your number."

"That's OK." I didn't mind – Seth was a really nice kid.

"So, uh -" he cut off suddenly, as if something had distracted him. I waited.

"Oh, man," Seth said, his voice a little distant. I assumed he was talking to someone in the room. "I had no idea – no, he didn't tell me! Why would he? It's none of my business!" his voice had turned scornful.

"Uh, Seth?" I wondered if he'd forgotten about me.

"Yeah. Hey, Lizzie? I'm sorry, but I have to go."

"Alright. See you tomorrow."

"See you." Click.

That was weird. What was Seth about to say?

I didn't think about it for too long, since the twins soon ran, laughing and yelling, through the door.

Anyone with friends on the reservation knew about Quil's accident, so it was the talk of the school for a few days. On Wednesday, however, everyone's mind seemed to be on something else.

While trying to get down the hall fast enough after English to follow Jasper Hale to his next class, I was ambushed by Vera.

"Guess what!" She was nearly panting with excitement. For some reason, I felt nervous.

"…What?"

"Edward "The Sex God" Cullen – stop making that face – and Bella "The New Girl" Swan are going out now!"

I blinked at her. I hadn't even known that Bella Swan and Edward Cullen even knew each other. But now, come to think of it, wasn't Jessica going on a few days ago on the way to school about how Bella had started to sit with Edward at lunch? I'd been trying to tune her out, so the snippet of conversation hadn't come to mind until now. I hadn't even noticed the change in seating arrangements after Bella's original novelty wore off and people started paying less attention to her.

"But that doesn't make any sense," I finally said.

"I know! That's what I said! He turned Jessica Stanley down, for Christ's sake. Bella's not nearly as interesting and pretty as Jessica."

I had to disagree. Jessica was about as interesting as a yappy little dog.

"I'll bet anything it won't last," Vera sniffed.

Why Bella? I still wondered after I had nodded mutely and walked away. It's not like I felt the same resentment for her that Vera had – sure, I still didn't think she was anything special, but I didn't resent her for going out with Edward. It puzzled me how she was able to break through his shell. Perhaps she wasn't quite so normal after all. Maybe the spell she'd casted over the entire town had even extended over Edward Cullen.

During the day, I saw the famous couple only once. After Science, I walked down the Gym hallway to find them walking towards me in the opposite direction, holding hands.