ently。 I wanted to be sure that Ben was clear on this。 Angela s shy。 If B well； if a guy doesn t have the nerve to ask her out； she d never ask him。 You like shy girls； Emmett said； back to improvisation。 like hmm； I don t know。 Maybe Bella Swan？ I grinned at him。 Exactly。 Quiet girls。 Girls Then I returned to the performance。 Maybe Angela
will get tired of waiting。 Maybe I ll ask her to the prom。 No； you won t； Ben thought； straightening up in his chair。 So what if she s so much taller than me？ If she doesn t care； then neither do I。 She s the nicest； smartest； prettiest girl in this school and she wants me。 I liked this Ben。 like Angela。 He seemed bright and wellmeaning。 Maybe even worthy of a girl I gave Emmett a thumbs up under the desk as Mrs。 Goff stood and greeted the class。 Okay； I ll admit it that was sort of fun； Emmett thought。 I smiled to myself； pleased that I d been able to shape one love story s happy ending。 I was positive that Ben would follow through； and Angela would receive my anonymous gift。 My debt was repaid。 How silly humans were； to let a six inch height differential confound their happiness。 My success put me in a good mood。 I smiled again as I settled into my chair and prepared to be entertained。 After all； as Bella had pointed out at lunch； I d never seen her in action in her gym class before。 Mike s thoughts were the easiest to pinpoint in the babble of voices that swarmed through the gym。 His mind had gotten far too familiar over the last few weeks。 With a sigh； I resigned myself to listening through him。 At least I could be sure that he would be paying attention to Bella。 I was just in time to hear him offer to be her badminton partner； as he made the suggestion； other partnerings ran through his mind。 My smile faded； my teeth clenched together； and I had to remind myself that murdering Mike Newton was not a permissible option。 Thanks； Mike you don t have to do this； you know。 Don t worry； I ll keep out of your way。 They grinned at each other； and flashes of numerous accidents always in some way connected to Bella flashed through Mike s head。 Mike played alone at first； while Bella hesitated on the back half of the court； holding her racket gingerly； as if it was some kind of weapon。 Then Coach Clapp ambled by and ordered Mike to let Bella play。 Uh oh； Mike thought as Bella moved forward with a sigh； holding her racquet at an awkward angle。 Jennifer Ford served the birdie directly toward Bella with a smug twist to her thoughts。 Mike saw Bella lurch toward it； swinging the racket yards wide of her target； and he rushed in to try to save the volley。 I watched the trajectory of Bella s racquet with alarm。 Sure enough； it hit the taut and sprung back at her； clipping her forehead before it spun out to strike Mike s arm with a resounding thwack。 Ow。 Ow。 Ungh。 That s going to leave a bruise。
Bella was kneading her forehead。 It was hard to stay in my seat where I belonged； knowing she was hurt。 But what could I do； if I were there？ And it didn t seem to be serious I hesitated； watching。 If she intended to continue to try to play； I was going to have to manufacture an excuse to pull her out of class。 The coach laughed。 Sorry； Newton。 Shouldn t inflict her on the others That girl s the worst jinx I ve ever seen。 He turned his back deliberately and moved to watch another game so that Bella could return to her former spectator s role。 Ow； Mike thought again； massaging his arm。 He turned to Bella。 Are you okay？ Yeah； are you？ she asked sheepishly； blushing。 I think I ll make it。 hurts！ Don t want to sound like a crybaby。 But； man； that Mike swung his arm in a circle； wincing。 I ll just stay back here； Bella said； embarrassment and chagrin on her face rather than pain。 Maybe Mike had got the worst of it。 I certainly hoped that was the case。 At least she wasn t playing anymore。 She held her racquet so carefully behind her back； her eyes wide with remorse I had to disguise my laugh as coughing。 What s funny？ Emmett wanted to know。 Tell you later； I muttered。 Bella didn t venture into the game again。 alone。 The coach ignored her and let Mike play I breezed through the quiz at the end of the hour； and Mrs。 Goff let me go early。 I was listening intently to Mike as I walked across the campus。 He d decided to confront Bella about me。 Jessica swears they re dating。 Why？ Why did he have to pick her？ He didn t recognize the real phenomenon that she d picked me。 So。 So what？ she wondered。 You and Cullen； huh？ important to you。。。 You and the freak。 I guess； if a rich guy is that I gritted my teeth at his degrading assumption。 That s none of your business； Mike。 Defensive。 So it s true。 Crap。 I don t like it。 You don t have to； she snapped。 Why can t she see what a circus sideshow he is？ Like they all are。 The way he
stares at her。 It gives me chills to watch。 something to eat。 I cringed； waiting for her response。 He looks at you like like you re Her face turned bright red； and her lips pressed together like she was holding her breath。 Then； suddenly； a giggle burst through her lips。 Now she s laughing at me。 Great。 Mike turned； thoughts sullen； and wandered off to change。 I leaned against the gym wall and tried to pose myself。 How could she have laughed at Mike s accusation so entirely on target that I began to worry that Forks was being too aware Why would she laugh at the suggestion that I could kill her； when she knew that it was entirely true？ Where was the humor in that？ What was wrong with her？ Did she have morbid sense of humor？ That didn t fit with my idea of her character； but how could I be sure？ Or maybe my daydream of the giddy angel was true in the one respect； in that she had no sense of fear at all。 Brave that was one word for it。 Others might say stupid； but I knew how bright she was。 No matter what the reason； though； this lack of fear or twisted sense of humor wasn t good for her。 Was it this strange lack that put her in danger so constantly？ Maybe she would always need me here Just like that； my mood was soaring。 If I could just discipline myself； make myself safe； then perhaps it would be right for me to stay with her。 When she walked through the gym doors； her shoulders were stiff and her lower lip was between her teeth again a sign of anxiety。 But as soon as her eyes met mine； her rigid shoulders relaxed and a wide smile spread across her face。 It was an oddly peaceful expression。 She walked right to my side without hesitation； only stopping when she was so close that her body heat crashed over me like a tidal wave。 Hi； she whispered。 The happiness I felt in this moment was； again； without precedent。 Hello； I said； and then because with my mood suddenly so light I couldn t resist teasing her I added； How was gym？ Her smile wavered。 Fine。 She was a poor liar。 Really？ I asked； about to press the issue I was still concerned about her head； was she in pain？ but then Mike Newton s thoughts we so loud they broke my concentration。 I hate him。 I wish he would die。 I hope he drives that shiny car right off a cliff。 Why couldn t he just leave her alone？ Stick to his own kind to the freaks。
What？ Bella demanded。 My eyes refocused on her face。 me again。 She looked at Mike s retreating back； and the