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〃Anything。〃
He smiled faintly； and then pursed his lips。 〃Five years？〃
My face twisted into an expression somewhere between chagrin and horror。
〃You said anything；〃 he reminded me。
〃Yes； but you'll use the time to find a way out of it。 I have to strike
while the iron is hot。 Besides； it's
just too dangerous to be human—for me； at least。 So； anything but that。〃
He frowned。 〃Three years？〃
〃No！〃
〃Isn't it worth anyrhing to you at all？ 〃
I thought about how much I wanted this。 Better to keep a poker face； I
decided； and not let him know
how very much that was。 It would give me more leverage。 〃Six months？〃
He rolled his eyes。 〃Not good enough。〃
〃One year； then；〃 I said。 〃That's my limit。〃
〃At least give me two。〃
〃No way。 Nineteen I'll do。 But I'm not going anywhere near twenty。 If you're
staying in your teens
forever； then so am I。〃
He thought for a minute。 〃All right。 Forget time limits。 If you want me to be
the one—then you'll just have
to meet one condition。〃
〃Condition？〃 My voice went flat。 〃What condition？〃
His eyes were cautious—he spoke slowly。 〃Marry me first。〃
I stared at him； waiting 〃Okay。 What's the punch line？〃
He sighed。 〃You're wounding my ego； Bella。 I just proposed to you； and you
think it's a joke。〃
〃Edward； please be serious。〃
〃I am one hundred percent serious。〃 He gazed at me with no hint of humor in
his face。
〃Oh； c'mon；〃 I said； an edge of hysteria in my voice。 〃I'm only eighteen。〃
〃Well； I'm nearly a hundred and ten。 It's time I settled down。〃
I looked away； out the dark window； trying to control the panic before it gave
me away。
〃Look； marriage isn't exactly that high on my list of priorities； you know？ It
was sort of the kiss of death
for Renee and Charlie。〃
〃Interesting choice of words。〃
〃You know what I mean。〃
He inhaled deeply。 〃Please don't tell me that you're afraid of the
mitment；〃 his voice was disbelieving；
and I understood what he meant。
〃That's not it exactly；〃 I hedged。 〃I'm afraid of Renee。 She has some really
intense opinions on getting
married before you're thirty。〃
〃Because she'd rather you became one of the eternal damned than get married。〃
He laughed darkly。
〃You think you're joking。〃
〃Bella； if you pare the level of mitment between a marital union as
opposed to bartering your soul
in exchange for an eternity as a vampire〃 He shook his head。 〃If you're not
brave enough to marry me；
then—〃
〃Well；〃 I interrupted。 〃What if I did？ What if I told you to take me to Vegas
now？ Would I be a vampire
in three days？〃
He smiled； his teeth flashing in the dark。 〃Sure；〃 he said； calling my bluff。
〃I'll get my car。〃
〃Dammit。〃 I muttered。 〃I'll give you eighteen months。〃
〃No deal；〃 he said； grinning。 〃I like this condition。〃
〃Fine。 I'll have Carlisle do it when I graduate。〃
〃If that's what you really want。〃 He shrugged； and his smile became absolutely
angelic。
〃You're impossible；〃 I groaned。 〃A monster。〃
He chuckled。 〃Is that why you won't marry me？〃
I groaned again。
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 scra