self；　I　wanted

it　bad。　He　was　such　a　cheater。

My　door　cracked　open。

〃Morning；　Dad。〃

〃Oh；　hey；　Bella。〃　He　sounded　embarrassed　at　getting　caught。　〃I　didn't　know　you

were　awake。〃

〃Yeah。　I've　just　been　waiting　ior　you　to　wake　up　so　I　could　take　a　shower。〃　I

started　to　get　up。

〃Hold　on；〃　Charlie　said；　flipping　the　light　on。　I　blinked　in　the　sudden

brightness；　and　carefully　kept　my

eyes　away　from　the　closet。　〃Let's　talk　for　a　minute　first。〃

I　couldn't　control　my　grimace。　I'd　forgotten　to　ask　Alice　for　a　good　excuse。

〃You　know　you're　in　trouble。〃

〃Yeah；　I　know。〃

〃I　just　about　went　crazy　these　last　three　days。　I　e　home　from　Harry's

funeral；　and　you're　gone。

Jacob　could　only　tell　me　that　you'd　run　off　with　Alice　Cullen；　and　that　he

thought　you　were　in　trouble。

You　didn't　leave　me　a　number；　and　you　didn't　call。　I　didn't　know　where　you

were　or　when—or　if—you

were　ing　back。　Do　you　have　any　idea　how　how〃　He　couldn't　finish　the

sentence。　He　sucked　in　a

sharp　breath　and　moved　on。　〃Can　you　give　me　one　reason　why　I　shouldn't　ship

you　off　to　Jacksonville

this　second？〃

My　eyes　narrowed。　So　it　was　going　to　be　threats；　was　it？　Two　could　play　at

that　game。　I　sat　up；　pulling

the　quilt　around　me。　〃Because　I　won't　go。〃

〃Now　just　one　minute；　young　lady—〃

〃Look；　Dad；　I　accept　plete　responsibility　for　my　actions；　and　you　have　the

right　to　ground　me　for　as

long　as　you　want。　I　will　also　do　all　the　chores　and　laundry　and　dishes　until

you　think　I've　learned　my

lesson。　And　I　guess　you're　within　your　rights　if　you　want　to　kick　me　out；　too

—but　that　won't　make　me　to