Thenextmorning,whenIpulledintotheparkinglot,IdeliberatelyparkedasfaraspossiblefromthesilverVolvo.Ididn'twanttoputmyselfinthepathoftoomuchtemptationandendupowinghimanewcar.Gettingoutofthecab,Ifumbledwithmykeyanditfellintoapuddleatmyfeet.AsIbenttogetit,awhitehandflashedoutandgrabbeditbeforeIcould.Ijerkedupright.EdwardCullenwasrightnexttome,leaningcasuallyagainstmytruck. "Howdoyoudothat?"Iaskedinamazedirritation. "Dowhat?"Heheldmykeyoutashespoke.AsIreachedforit,hedroppeditintomypalm. "Appearoutofthinair." "Bella,it'snotmyfaultifyouareexceptionallyunobservant."Hisvoicewasquietasusual—velvet,muted. Iscowledathisperfectface.Hiseyeswerelightagaintoday,adeep,goldenhoneycolor.ThenIhadtolookdown,toreassemblemynow-tangledthoughts. "Whythetrafficjamlastnight?"Idemanded,stilllookingaway. "IthoughtyouweresupposedtobepretendingIdon'texist,notirritatingmetodeath." "ThatwasforTyler'ssake,notmine.Ihadtogivehimhischance."Hesnickered. "You…"Igasped.Icouldn'tthinkofabadenoughword.Itfeltliketheheatofmyangershouldphysicallyburnhim,butheonlyseemedmoreamused. "AndI'mnotpretendingyoudon'texist,"hecontinued. "Soyouaretryingtoirritatemetodeath?SinceTyler'svandidn'tdothejob?" Angerflashedinhistawnyeyes.Hislipspressedintoahardline,allsignsofhumorgone."Bella,youareutterlyabsurd,"hesaid,hislowvoicecold. Mypalmstingled—Iwantedsobadlytohitsomething.Iwassurprisedatmyself.Iwasusuallyanonviolentperson.Iturnedmybackandstartedtowalkaway. "Wait,"hecalled.Ikeptwalking,sloshingangrilythroughtherain.Buthewasnexttome,easilykeepingpace. "I'msorry,thatwasrude,"hesaidaswewalked.Iignoredhim. "I'mnotsayingitisn'ttrue,"hecontinued, "butitwasrudetosayit,anyway." "Whywon'tyouleavemealone?"Igrumbled. "Iwantedtoaskyousomething,butyousidetrackedme,"hechuckled.Heseemedtohaverecoveredhisgoodhumor. "Doyouhaveamultiplepersonalitydisorder?"Iaskedseverely. "You'redoingitagain." Isighed. "Finethen.Whatdoyouwanttoask?" "Iwaswonderingif,aweekfromSaturday—youknow,thedayofthespringdance—" "Areyoutryingtobefunny?"Iinterruptedhim,wheelingtowardhim.MyfacegotdrenchedasIlookedupathisexpression. Hiseyeswerewickedlyamused. "Willyoupleaseallowmetofinish?" Ibitmylipandclaspedmyhandstogether,interlockingmyfingers,soIcouldn'tdoanythingrash. "IheardyousayyouweregoingtoSeattlethatday,andIwaswonderingifyouwantedaride." Thatwasunexpected. "What?"Iwasn'tsurewhathewasgettingat. "DoyouwantaridetoSeattle?" "Withwho?"Iasked,mystified. "Myself,obviously."Heenunciatedeverysyllable,asifheweretalkingtosomeonementallyhandicapped. Iwasstillstunned. "Why?" "Well,IwasplanningtogotoSeattleinthenextfewweeks,and,tobehonest,I'mnotsureifyourtruckcanmakeit." "Mytruckworksjustfine,thankyouverymuchforyourconcern."Istartedtowalkagain,butIwastoosurprisedtomaintainthesamelevelofanger. "Butcanyourtruckmakeitthereononetankofgas?"Hematchedmypaceagain. "Idon'tseehowthatisanyofyourbusiness."Stupid,shinyVolvoowner. "Thewastingoffiniteresourcesiseveryone'sbusiness." "Honestly,Edward."IfeltathrillgothroughmeasIsaidhisname,andIhatedit. "Ican'tkeepupwithyou.Ithoughtyoudidn'twanttobemyfriend." "Isaiditwouldbebetterifweweren'tfriends,notthatIdidn'twanttobe." "Oh,thanks,nowthat'sallclearedup."Heavysarcasm.IrealizedIhadstoppedwalkingagain.Wewereundertheshelterofthecafeteriaroofnow,soIcouldmoreeasilylookathisface.Whichcertainlydidn'thelpmyclarityofthought. "Itwouldbemore…prudentforyounottobemyfriend,"heexplained. "ButI'mtiredoftryingtostayawayfromyou,Bella." Hiseyesweregloriouslyintenseasheutteredthatlastsentence,hisvoicesmoldering.Icouldn'trememberhowtobreathe. "WillyougowithmetoSeattle?"heasked,stillintense. Icouldn'tspeakyet,soIjustnodded. Hesmiledbriefly,andthenhisfacebecameserious. "Youreallyshouldstayawayfromme,"hewarned. "I'llseeyouinclass." Heturnedabruptlyandwalkedbackthewaywe'dcome.