to　my　words。

〃All　right；　then；〃　he　said　indifferently。

He　kissed　my　forehead　again　before　he　shut　the　door　on　me。　Then　he　turned　his

back　and　loped

gracefully　toward　his　car。

I　was　able　to　drive　out　of　the　parking　lot　before　the　panic　really　hit；　but　I

was　hyperventilating　by　the　time

I　got　to　Newton's。

He　just　needed　time；　I　told　myself。　He　would　get　over　this。　Maybe　he　was　sad

because　his　family　was

disappearing。　But　Alice　and　Jasper　would　e　back　soon；　and　Rosalie　and

Emmett；　too。　If　it　would

help；　I　would　stay　away　from　the　big　white　house　on　the　river—I'd　never　set

foot　there　again。　That　didn't

matter。　I'd　still　see　Alice　at　school。　She　would　have　to　e　back　for　school；

right？　And　she　was　at　my

place　all　the　time　anyway。　She　wouldn't　want　to　hurt　Charlie's　feelings　by

staying　away。

No　doubt　I　would　also　run　into　Carlisle　with　regularity—in　the　emergency

room。

After　all；　what　had　happened　last　night　was　nothing。　Nothing　had　happened。　So

I　fell　down—that　was

the　story　of　my　life。　pared　to　last　spring；　it　seemed　especially

unimportant。　James　had　left　me　broken

and　nearly　dead　from　loss　of　blood—and　yet　Edward　had　handled　the

interminable　weeks　in　the　hospital

much　better　than　this。　Was　it　because；　this　time；　it　wasn't　an　enemy　he'd　had

to　protect　me　from？

Because　it　was　his　brother？

Maybe　it　would　be　better　if　he　took　me　away；　rather　than　his　family　being

scattered。　I　grew　slightly　less

depressed　as　I　considered　all　the　uninterrupted　alone　time。　If　he　could　just

last　thro