staying　in　your　teens

forever；　then　so　am　I。〃

He　thought　for　a　minute。　〃All　right。　Forget　time　limits。　If　you　want　me　to　be

the　one—then　you'll　just　have

to　meet　one　condition。〃

〃Condition？〃　My　voice　went　flat。　〃What　condition？〃

His　eyes　were　cautious—he　spoke　slowly。　〃Marry　me　first。〃

I　stared　at　him；　waiting　〃Okay。　What's　the　punch　line？〃

He　sighed。　〃You're　wounding　my　ego；　Bella。　I　just　proposed　to　you；　and　you

think　it's　a　joke。〃

〃Edward；　please　be　serious。〃

〃I　am　one　hundred　percent　serious。〃　He　gazed　at　me　with　no　hint　of　humor　in

his　face。

〃Oh；　c'mon；〃　I　said；　an　edge　of　hysteria　in　my　voice。　〃I'm　only　eighteen。〃

〃Well；　I'm　nearly　a　hundred　and　ten。　It's　time　I　settled　down。〃

I　looked　away；　out　the　dark　window；　trying　to　control　the　panic　before　it　gave

me　away。

〃Look；　marriage　isn't　exactly　that　high　on　my　list　of　priorities；　you　know？　It

was　sort　of　the　kiss　of　death

for　Renee　and　Charlie。〃

〃Interesting　choice　of　words。〃

〃You　know　what　I　mean。〃

He　inhaled　deeply。　〃Please　don't　tell　me　that　you're　afraid　of　the

mitment；〃　his　voice　was　disbelieving；

and　I　understood　what　he　meant。

〃That's　not　it　exactly；〃　I　hedged。　〃I'm　afraid　of　Renee。　She　has　some　really

intense　opinions　on　getting

married　before　you're　thirty。〃

〃Because　she'd　rather　you　became　one　of　the　eternal　damned　than　get　married。〃

He　laughed　darkly。

〃You　think　you're　joking。〃

〃Bella；　if　you　pare　the　level　of　mitment　between　a　marital　union　as

opposed　to　bartering　your　soul

in　exchange　for　an　eternity　as　a　vampire〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃If　you're　not

brave　enough　to　m