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the hand I moved。
〃What's that？〃 He traded hands； examining my right。 〃This is your funny scar；
the cold one。〃 He looked at
it closer； with new eyes； and gasped。
〃Yes； it's what you think it is；〃 I said。 〃James bit me。〃
His eyes bulged； and his face turned a strange； sallow color under the russet
surface。 He looked like he
was about to be sick。
〃But if he bit you ？ Shouldn't you be ？〃 He choked。
〃Edward saved me twice；〃 I whispered。 〃He sucked the venom out—you know； like
with a rattlesnake。〃
I twitched as the pain lashed around the edges of the hole。
But I wasn't the only one twitching。 I could feel Jacob's whole body trembling
next to mine。 Even the car
shook。
〃Careful； Jake。 Easy。 Ca in down。〃
〃Yeah；〃 he panted。 〃Calm。〃 He shook his head back and forth quickly。 After a
moment； only his hands
were shaking。
〃You okay？〃
〃Yeah； almost。 Tell me something else。 Give me something else to think about。〃
〃What do you want to know？〃
〃I don't know。〃 He had his eyes closed； concentrating。 〃The extra stuff I
guess。 Did any of the other
Cullens have extra talents？ Like the mind reading？〃
I hesitated a second。 This felt like a question he would ask of his spy； not
his friend。 But what was the
point of hiding what I knew？ It didn't matter now； and it would help him
control himself。
So I spoke quickly； the image of Emily's ruined face in my mind； and the hair
rising on my arms。 I couldn't
imagine how the russet wolf would fit inside the Rabbit—Jacob would tear the
whole garage apart if he
changed now。
〃Jasper could sort of control the emotions of the people around him。 Not in
a bad way； just to calm
someone down； that kind of thing。 It would probably help Paul a lot；〃 I added；
teasing weakly。 〃And then
Alice could see things that were going to happen。 The future； you know； but
not absolutely。 The things
she saw would change when someone changed the path they were on〃
Like how she'd seen me dying and she'd seen me being one of them。 Two
things that had not
happened。 And one that never would。 My head started to spin—I couldn't seem
to pull in enough oxygen
from the air。 No lungs。
Jacob was entirely in control now； very still beside me。
〃Why do you do that？〃 he asked。 He tugged lightly at one of my arms； which was
bound around my
chest； and then gave up when it wouldn't e loose easily。 I hadn't even
realized I'd moved them。 〃You
do that when you're upset。 Why？〃
〃It hurts to think about them；〃 I whispered。 〃It's like I can't breathe like
I'm breaking into pieces〃It
was bizarre how much I could tell Jacob now。 We had no more secrets。
He smoothed my hair。 〃It's okay； Bella； it's okay。 I won't bring it up again。
I'm sorry。〃
〃I'm fine。〃 I gasped。 〃Happens all the time。 Not your fault。〃
〃We're a pretty messed…up pair； aren't we？〃 Jacob said。 〃Neither one of us can
hold our shape together
right。〃
〃Pathetic；〃 I agreed； still breathless。
〃At least we have each other；〃 he said； clearly forted by the thought。
I was forted； too。 〃At least there's that；〃 I agreed。
And when we were together； it was fine。 But Jacob had a horrible； dangerous
job he felt pelled to
do； and so I was often alone； stuck in La Push for safety； with nothing to do
to keep my mind off any of
my worries。
I felt awkward； always taking up space at Billy's。 I did some studying for
another Calculus test that was
ing up next week； but I could only look at math for so long。 When I didn't
have something obvious to
do in my hands；
I felt like I ought to be making conversation with Billy—the pressure of
normal societal rules。 But Billy
wasn't one for filling up the long silences； and so the awkwardness continued。
I tried hanging out at Emily's place Wednesday afternoon； for a change。 At
first it was kind of nice。 Emily
was a cheerful person who never sat still。 I drifted behind her while she
flitted around her little house and
yard； scrubbing at the spotless floor； pulling a tiny weed； fixing a broken
hinge； tugging a string of wool
through an ancient loom； and always cooking； too。 She plained lightly about
the increase in the boys'
appetites from all their extra running； but it was easy to see she didn't mind
taking care of them。 It wasn't
hard to be with her—after all； we were both wolf girls now。
But Sam checked in after I'd been there for a few hours。 I only stayed long
enough to ascertain that
Jacob was fine and there was no news； and then I had to escape。 The aura of
love and contentment that
surrounded them was harder to take in concentrated doses； with no one else
around to dilute it。
So that left me wandering the beach； pacing the length of the rocky crescent
back and forth； again and
again。
Alone time wasn't good for me。 Thanks to the new honesty with Jacob； I'd been
talking and thinking
about the Cullens way too much。 No matter how I tried to distract myself—and
I had plenty to think of： I
was honestly and desperately worried about Jacob and his wolf…brothers； I was
terrified for Charlie and
the others who thought they were hunting animals； I was getting in deeper and
deeper with Jacob without
ever having consciously decided to progress in that direction and I didn't
know what to do about
it—none of these very real； very deserving of thought； very pressing concerns
could take my mind off the
pain in my chest for long。 Eventually； I couldn't even walk anymore； because I
couldn't breathe。 I sat
down on a patch of semidry rocks and curled up in a ball。
Jacob found me like that； and I could tell from his expression that he
understood。
〃Sorry；〃 he said right away。 He pulled me up from the ground and wrapped both
arms around my
shoulders。 I hadn't realized that I was cold until then。 His warmth made me
shudder； but at least I could
breathe with him there。
〃I'm ruining your spring break；〃 Jacob accused himself as we walked back up
the beach。
〃No； you're not。 I didn't have any plans。 I don't think I like spring breaks；
anyway。〃
〃I'll take tomorrow morning off。 The others can run without me。 We'll do
something fun。〃
The word seemed out of pl