We went to a department store for them to look at dresses for the spring formal. Angela was trying to convince me to go to the spring formal, but each time I politely declined, giving the excuse that I was going to Seattle that day. I excluded that I was going with Edward. Angela also broke the news that Tyler was telling everyone I was going to prom with him

This irritated me, I was pretty sure this was some convoluted way of apologizing, but it was maddening. It was also funny, Mike, Tyler, and Eric knew very little about me. In Phoenix, people knew I saw sick, sure maybe they didn't know the specifics, but it wasn't as invisible as it is now. Even now, it was only a matter of time before cancer became visible again. I was on borrowed time. In Phoenix, other kids usually kept me an arms length away.

I knew that these were different people, but I was under no illusions: it was hard to watch someone you care about die. My parents had watched for years, but they were my parents, other people didn't have to stick around, and I wouldn't blame them if they didn't want to watch.

After an hour, I broke away from Jessica and Angela wanting to go to a bookstore.

"I'll meet you guys at the restaurant," I assured them.

I had found a bookstore, but it wasn't what I was looking for.

I saw out of the corner of my eye a silver Volvo. It reminded me of Edward, stupid, unreliable vampire. I stomped away from the bookstore. I started walking south, I wasn't quite sure where I was going, and soon I found myself in an industrial part of Port Angeles. It was also getting pretty dark.

I started walking the other way. There was little foot traffic, but I heard a group of men start walking behind me. I looked over my shoulder. They were dressed too casual to have been leaving work, but looked too grimy to be tourists. They were rowdy, unruly. I moved as close to the other side of the sidewalk as I could to give them room.

Then they started calling me. I started to walk as fast as I could. My lungs started to burn, I tired too easily to outrun them. I thought about "accidentally" dropping my purse. I looked back again, and only saw two of the men. I had this gut feeling I was in danger. I turned the corner. I saw the other men that were behind me earlier.

They weren't following me. They were herding me.

They started to surround me. I was trying to remind myself what little self-defense I knew. They were circling me. The action made me dizzy, it was sheer adrenaline that kept me upright.

I heard a car's tires squeal, I thought about throwing myself in the path of the car. Hopefully they would stop before they hit me, but right now my concern was escaping.

I dove into the street. The car skidded to a stop in front of the group of men.

I just made out the silver car, before someone stepped out of the car. It was too dark to make them out.

"Get in the car," the furious voice ordered.

Maybe another time this would have made me pause but I felt a blanket of security over me as soon as I heard his voice. The fear was no longer choking me.

I got in the car. He followed right after me.

"Put your seatbelt on," I complied.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I said reflexively, but shockingly I did feel fine. I felt safe.

He scoffed.

"Are you okay?" I asked him.

"No," he said curtly.

We sat in silence for a few moments before he broke it, "Bella?"

I raised my head.

"Are you alright?" I was surprised, he had already asked me if I was okay.

"Yes," my voice still sounded hoarse. My lungs weren't burning anymore.

The car got quiet again.

"Bella?" I raised my head. "Distract me."

"I'm sorry, what?"

He exhaled sharply, "Just prattle me about something unimportant, until I calm down."

"Um…" I started wracking my brain for something, "I think I'm going to run over Tyler Crowley before school tomorrow."

The corner of his mouth twitched up.

"Why?"

"He's been telling everyone that he's taking me to prom-so he's either insane or trying to make up for almost killing me last, well you remember. So I figure I endanger his life, then we're even and he can't keep trying to take me to prom."

"I heard about that," he sounded more composed.

"You did?" My previous irritation flared.

Edward sighed.

"Better?"

"Not really."

"What's wrong?" I asked when he stayed quiet.

"Sometimes, I have a problem with my temper, but it wouldn't be helpful to turn around and hunt those guys down."

"Oh." I couldn't think of a more inadequate response.

We sat in silence for another few minutes. I looked at the time. "Jessica and Angela will be worried."

He started the engine without another word. A few minutes later we arrived at the restaurant.

"How did you know where…? I began before I shook my head. I heard the door open and turned to see him getting out.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Taking you to dinner," he smiled slightly, but his eyes were still hard.

"Go stop Jessica and Angela before I have to track them down too."

After Jessica and Angela had left, we were walking to a table. The hostess was not-so-subtly making passes at Edward.

"Can we have a more private table? Please?" Edward asked the waitress. Dazzling her. He passed her what looked like several 20 dollar bills. We were led to a booth in a corner of the restaurant. There was nobody else around.

"You really shouldn't do that. It's really not fair," I criticized.

"Do what?"

"Dazzle them like that. She's probably hyperventilating in the kitchen right now."

"Do I dazzle you?"

"Frequently," I admitted.

Then our waitress arrived. She looked at Edward expectantly.

"Bella?" He looked at me.

"Oh... the mushroom ravioli. And a Coke." I hadn't looked at the menu, I just picked the first thing I saw.

"Two Cokes," Edward corrected.

"Anything for you?" She still kept her eyes only on Edward.

"Nothing for me." Of course not.

"Let me know if you change your mind."

She brought our Cokes out, and Edward still never glanced her way.

"Drink," he ordered.

I sipped my soda obediently, not realizing how thirsty I was, I finished my drink. He pushed the second one to me.

"Thanks," I muttered, slightly embarrassed at the way he was studying me. A chill from the soda made me shutter.

"Cold?"

"Just from the soda," I explained. Although my hands were probably like ice right now.

"Don't you have a jacket?" He asked disapprovingly.

"I left it in Jess' car." He began taking off his jacket and handed it to me.

"Here."

"Thanks." I muttered again. His jacket was cold. It smelled amazing, like him. The sleeves were slightly too long. I rolled them back, freeing my hands.

He pushed the bread basket towards me. Now I looked at him slightly disapproving. I didn't eat much on a normal day, my appetite was almost nonexistent, I grabbed a piece to appease him, but only ate small pieces.

"I'm not going into shock. Really, I'm fine."

"You say that a lot." I knew what he was talking about, but I decided to play dumb.

"What?" I was such a bad liar.

"You're a really bad liar, you know."

I nodded, I knew. "It's never been my strong suit."

"Anyway, you say 'I'm fine' a lot. I wonder why is that?" I decided honesty was the best route.

"It's something I've been doing since I was a kid." I shrugged slightly. "It's a habit, one I'm not all that inclined to break. If it makes my parents feel slightly better, it's worth the white lie." That was the most explanation I had ever given, to anyone.

Edward looked slightly surprised.

"Is it though? Just a white lie? A white lie is supposed to be something insignificant, this doesn't seem that insignificant."

I shrugged, I decided it was my turn for questions, "I have about a thousand questions for you. Let's start with this one, how much do you know?" I wanted confirmation. I didn't want to hide behind innuendos and cryptic half-truths.

"I know enough." That wasn't good enough.

"A real answer, please."

"How about this I'll answer yours, if you answer mine." I didn't want to answer his questions, but I wasn't one for double standards.

"Alright." I took a deep breath. "So, how much do you know?"

"All of it. I overheard some the day of the accident. Most I overheard from Carlisle's thoughts."

"Wait, you said you heard what he was thinking?"

"I know what everyone is thinking in this room, except for you."

"Great, I'm even more of an anomaly."

He laughed. "I just told you I can read minds, but you think you're the weird one."

I chuckled, "Yeah, I guess so."

"Anyway, Carlisle tried to keep his thoughts hidden, his morality really knows no bounds, but I made it quite difficult for him to keep from me."

"I see, and you haven't run for the hills yet. So why are you in Port Angeles?"

He shook his head. "Next question."

"But that's the easiest one."

He looked like he was having some internal conflict.

"You can trust me, you know."

He took a deep breath. "I don't know that I have a choice anymore. You know I was wrong. You are much more observant than I gave you credit for."

I smiled. "I thought you were always right."

"I used to be."

The waitress dropped off our food, once again keeping her eyes only on Edward.

"I was wrong about one thing, you're not a magnet for accidents, you are a magnet for trouble. Only you could find trouble in this town, you wold have raised their crime statistics for the next 50 years."

"And you put yourself in that category?"

His face turned cold again. "Unequivocally."

"Thank you." My voice filled with gratitude. "That's twice now."

His face softened."Let's not try for a third time, agreed?"

I laughed without humor, there would be a third time, but nothing could be done to save me from that. "I think the universe is telling me something. Maybe my time is up. You know, fate and all that."

"I've never seen the pessimistic side of you before."

"It's reserved for a few lucky people. You should feel special." I sounded slightly sarcastic. Edward remained pensive.

After a moment of silence, "I followed you to Port Angeles. I've never tried to keep one person alive before, it's much more troublesome than I thought. But I suspect that because it's you. Normal people can make it through the day without catastrophe."

"Most people haven't been counting down their time for the majority of their life. Like I said, maybe my number is up, maybe you're just interfering with fate."

"Your number was up the first time I met you."

"Yes," I hid the small pang of fear that I felt remembering that first day.

"You remember and yet here you sit."

"Yes, here I sit because of you. I'm only here because of you." I paused and then continued, "Because somehow you knew how to find me today…?"

"You eat, I'll talk." He bargained.

I had barely touched my food. I didn't feel like eating, but I knew he wouldn't drop it.

And he told me: how he was keeping tabs on Jessica's thoughts, how he didn't know I had taken off right away, and how he found me through the vile thoughts of the men who cornered me. By the end, my thoughts were incoherent. I was leaning slightly towards Edward, hands in my lap.

"Are you ready to go home?" He asked.

"I'm ready to leave." I was glad for the hour ride back home.

The waitress appeared as if she was called, or she was watching.

"We're ready for the check," Edward still didn't even spare her a glance.

"S-sure. Here you go," she stuttered.

He already had a bill in his hand. He slipped the bill in the leather folder, instantly handing it back to her. "No change."

Edward got up and I scrambled awkwardly to my feet. The waitress invited him back again.

He opened the passenger door for me. I remembered how Jessica said that her and Mike were almost at the first kiss stage of their relationship. I sighed, Edward must have noticed because he looked at me curiously.

Once in the car, he said, "Now it's your turn."