Mike,atleast,waspleasedbytheobviouscoolnessbetweenmeandmylabpartner.Icouldseehe'dbeenworriedthatEdward'sdaringrescuemighthaveimpressedme,andhewasrelievedthatitseemedtohavetheoppositeeffect.Hegrewmoreconfident,sittingontheedgeofmytabletotalkbeforeBiologyclassstarted,ignoringEdwardascompletelyasheignoredus. Thesnowwashedawayforgoodafterthatonedangerouslyicyday.Mikewasdisappointedhe'dnevergottentostagehissnowballfight,butpleasedthatthebeachtripwouldsoonbepossible.Theraincontinuedheavily,though,andtheweekspassed. Jessicamademeawareofanothereventloomingonthehorizon—shecalledthefirstTuesdayofMarchtoaskmypermissiontoinviteMiketothegirls'choicespringdanceintwoweeks. "Areyousureyoudon'tmind…youweren'tplanningtoaskhim?"shepersistedwhenItoldherIdidn'tmindintheleast. "No,Jess,I'mnotgoing,"Iassuredher.Dancingwasglaringlyoutsidemyrangeofabilities. "Itwillbereallyfun."Herattempttoconvincemewashalfhearted.IsuspectedthatJessicaenjoyedmyinexplicablepopularitymorethanmyactualcompany. "YouhavefunwithMike,"Iencouraged. Thenextday,IwassurprisedthatJessicawasn'therusualgushingselfinTrigandSpanish.Shewassilentasshewalkedbymysidebetweenclasses,andIwasafraidtoaskherwhy.IfMikehadturnedherdown,Iwasthelastpersonshewouldwanttotell. MyfearswerestrengthenedduringlunchwhenJessicasatasfarfromMikeaspossible,chattinganimatedlywithEric.Mikewasunusuallyquiet. Mikewasstillquietashewalkedmetoclass,theuncomfortablelookonhisfaceabadsign.Buthedidn'tbroachthesubjectuntilIwasinmyseatandhewasperchedonmydesk.Asalways,IwaselectricallyawareofEdwardsittingcloseenoughtotouch,asdistantasifheweremerelyaninventionofmyimagination. "So,"Mikesaid,lookingatthefloor, "Jessicaaskedmetothespringdance." "That'sgreat."Imademyvoicebrightandenthusiastic. "You'llhavealotoffunwithJessica." "Well…"Heflounderedasheexaminedmysmile,clearlynothappywithmyresponse. "ItoldherIhadtothinkaboutit." "Whywouldyoudothat?"Iletdisapprovalcolormytone,thoughIwasrelievedhehadn'tgivenheranabsoluteno. Hisfacewasbrightredashelookeddownagain.Pityshookmyresolve. "Iwaswonderingif…well,ifyoumightbeplanningtoaskme." Ipausedforamoment,hatingthewaveofguiltthatsweptthroughme.ButIsaw,fromthecornerofmyeye,Edward'sheadtiltreflexivelyinmydirection. "Mike,Ithinkyoushouldtellheryes,"Isaid. "Didyoualreadyasksomeone?"DidEdwardnoticehowMike'seyesflickeredinhisdirection? "No,"Iassuredhim. "I'mnotgoingtothedanceatall." "Whynot?"Mikedemanded. Ididn'twanttogetintothesafetyhazardsthatdancingpresented,soIquicklymadenewplans. "I'mgoingtoSeattlethatSaturday,"Iexplained.Ineededtogetoutoftownanyway—itwassuddenlytheperfecttimetogo. "Can'tyougosomeotherweekend?" "Sorry,no,"Isaid. "Soyoushouldn'tmakeJesswaitanylonger—it'srude." "Yeah,you'reright,"hemumbled,andturned,dejected,towalkbacktohisseat.Iclosedmyeyesandpressedmyfingerstomytemples,tryingtopushtheguiltandsympathyoutofmyhead.Mr.Bannerbegantalking.Isighedandopenedmyeyes. AndEdwardwasstaringatmecuriously,thatsame,familiaredgeoffrustrationevenmoredistinctnowinhisblackeyes. Istaredback,surprised,expectinghimtolookquicklyaway.Butinsteadhecontinuedtogazewithprobingintensityintomyeyes.Therewasnoquestionofmelookingaway.Myhandsstartedtoshake. "Mr.Cullen?"theteachercalled,seekingtheanswertoaquestionthatIhadn'theard. "TheKrebsCycle,"Edwardanswered,seemingreluctantasheturnedtolookatMr.Banner. Ilookeddownatmybookassoonashiseyesreleasedme,tryingtofindmyplace.Cowardlyasever,Ishiftedmyhairovermyrightshouldertohidemyface.Icouldn'tbelievetherushofemotionpulsingthroughme—justbecausehe'dhappenedtolookatmeforthefirsttimeinahalf-dozenweeks.Icouldn'tallowhimtohavethislevelofinfluenceoverme.Itwaspathetic.Morethanpathetic,itwasunhealthy.