ach　to　hide　them；　put　my　chin　on　my　knees

and　stared　at　the　TV

screen　in　front　of　me；　seeing　nothing。

When　the　show　ended；　I　hadn't　moved　an　inch。　Out　of　the　corner　of　my　eye；　I

saw　Edward　stand。

〃I'd　better　get　home；〃　he　said。

Charlie　didn't　look　up　from　the　mercial。　〃See　ya。〃

I　got　awkwardly　to　my　feet—I　was　stiff　from　sitting　so　still—and　followed

Edward　out　the　front　door。　He

went　straight　to　his　car。

〃Will　you　stay？〃　I　asked；　no　hope　in　my　voice。

I　expected　his　answer；　so　it　didn't　hurt　as　much。

〃Not　tonight。〃

I　didn't　ask　for　a　reason。

He　got　in　his　car　and　drove　away　while　I　stood　there；　unmoving。　I　barely

noticed　that　it　was　raining。　I

waited；　without　knowing　what　I　waited　for；　until　the　door　opened　behind　me。

〃Bella；　what　are　you　doing？〃　Charlie　asked；　surprised　to　see　me　standing　there

alone　and　dripping。

〃Nothing。〃　I　turned　and　trudged　back　to　the　house。

It　was　a　long　night；　with　little　in　the　way　of　rest。

I　got　up　as　soon　as　there　was　a　faint　light　outside　my　window。　I　dressed　for

school　mechanically；　waiting

for　the　clouds　to　brighten。　When　I　had　eaten　a　bowl　of　cereal；　I　decided　that

it　was　light　enough　for

pictures。　I　took　one　of　my　truck；　and　then　the　front　of　the　house。　I　turned

and　snapped　a　few　of　the　forest

by　Charlie's　house。　Funny　how　it　didn't　seem　sinister　like　it　used　to。　I

realized　I　would　miss　this—the

green；　the　timelessness；　the　mystery　of　the　woods。　All　of　it。

I　put　the　camera　in　my　school　bag　before　I　left。　I　tried　to　concentrate　on　my

new　project　rather　than　the

fact　that　Edward　apparently　hadn't　gotten　over　things　dur