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1。　First　Sight　This　was　the　time　of　day　when　I　wished　I　were　able　to　sleep。　High　school。　Or　was　purgatory　the　right　word？　If　there　was　any　way　to　atone　for　my　sins；　this　ought　to　count　toward　the　tally　in　some　measure。　The　tedium　was　not　something　I　grew　used　to；　every　day　seemed　more　impossibly　monotonous　than　the　last。　I　suppose　this　was　my　form　of　sleep　if　sleep　was　defined　as　the　inert　state　between　active　periods。　I　stared　at　the　cracks　running　through　the　plaster　in　the　far　corner　of　the　cafeteria；　Imagining　patterns　into　them　that　were　not　there。　It　was　one　way　to　tune　out　the　voices　that　babbled　like　the　gush　of　a　river　inside　my　head。　Several　hundred　of　these　voices　I　ignored　out　of　boredom。　When　it　came　to　the　human　mind；　I　d　heard　it　all　before　and　then　some。　Today；　all　thoughts　were　consumed　with　the　trivial　drama　of　a　new　addition　to　the　small　student　body　here。　It　took　so　little　to　work　them　all　up。　I　d　seen　the　new　face　repeated　in　thought　after　thought　from　every　angle。　Just　an　ordinary　human　girl。　The　excitement　over　her　arrival　was　tiresomely　predictable　like　flashing　a　shiny　object　at　a　child。　Half　the　sheeplike　males　were　already　imagining　themselves　in　love　with　her；　just　because　she　was　something　new　to　look　at。　I　tried　harder　to　tune　them　out。　Only　four　voices　did　I　block　out　of　courtesy　rather　than　distaste：　my　family；　my　two　brothers　and　two　sisters；　who　were　so　used　to　the　lack　of　privacy　in　my　presence　that　they　rarely　gave　it　a　thought。　I　gave　them　what　privacy　I　could。　I　tried　not　to　listen　if　I　could　help　it。　Try　as　I　may；　still　I　knew。　Rosalie　was　thinking；　as　usual；　about　herself。　She　d　caught　sight　of　her　profile　in　the　reflection　off　someone　s　glasses；　and　she　was　mulling　over　her　own　perfection。　Rosalie　s　mind　was　a　shallow　pool　with　few　surprises。　Emmett　was　fuming　over　a　wrestling　match　he　d　lost　to　Jasper　during　the　night。　It　would　take　all　his　limited　patience　to　make　it　to　the　end　of　the　school　day　to　orchestrate　a　rematch。　I　never　really　felt　intrusive　hearing　Emmett　s　thoughts；　because　he　never　thought　one　thing　that　he　would　not　say　aloud　or　put　into　action。　Perhaps　I　only　felt　guilty　reading　the　others　minds　because　I　knew　there　were　things　there　that　they　wouldn　t　want　me　to　know。　If　Rosalie　s　mind　was　a　shallow　pool；　then　Emmett　s　was　a　lake　with　no　shadows；　glass　clear。　And　Jasper　was　suffering。　Edward。　I　suppressed　a　sigh。　Alice　called　my　name　in　her　head；　and　had　my　attention　at　once。　It　was　just　the　same　as　having　my　name　called　aloud。　I　was　glad　my　given　name　had　fallen　out　of　style　lately　it　had　been　annoying；　anytime　anyone　thought　of　any　Edward；　my　head　would　turn　automatically　My　head　didn　t　turn　now。　Alice　and　I　were　good　at　these　private　conversations。　It

was　rare　that　anyone　caught　us。　I　kept　my　eyes　on　the　lines　in　the　plaster。　How　is　he　holding　up？　she　asked　me。　I　frowned；　just　a　small　change　in　the　set　of　my　mouth。　Nothing　that　would　tip　the　others　off。　I　could　easily　be　frowning　out　of　boredom。　Alice　s　mental　tone　was　alarmed　now；　and　I　saw　in　her　mind　that　she　was　watching　Jasper　in　her　peripheral　vision。　Is　there　any　danger？　She　searched　ahead；　into　the　immediate　future；　skimming　through　visions　of　monotony　for　the　source　behind　my　frown。　I　turned　my　head　slowly　to　the　left；　as　if　looking　at　the　bricks　of　the　wall；　sighed；　and　then　to　the　right；　back　to　the　cracks　in　the　ceiling。　Only　Alice　knew　I　was　shaking　my　head。　She　relaxed。　Let　me　know　if　it　gets　too　bad。　I　moved　only　my　eyes；　up　to　the　ceiling　above；　and　back　down。　Thanks　for　doing　this。　I　was　glad　I　couldn　t　answer　her　aloud。　What　would　I　say？　My　pleasure　？　It　was　hardly　that。　I　didn　t　enjoy　listening　to　Jasper　s　struggles。　Was　it　really　necessary　to　experiment　like　this？　Wouldn　t　the　safer　path　be　to　just　admit　that　he　might　never　be　able　to　handle　the　thirst　the　way　the　rest　of　us　could；　and　not　push　his　limits？　Why　flirt　with　disaster？　It　had　been　two　weeks　since　our　last　hunting　trip。　That　was　not　an　immensely　difficult　time　span　for　the　rest　of　us。　A　little　unfortable　occasionally　if　a　human　walked　too　close；　if　the　wind　blew　the　wrong　way。　But　humans　rarely　walked　too　close。　Their　instincts　told　them　what　their　conscious　minds　would　never　understand：　we　were　dangerous。　Jasper　was　very　dangerous　right　now。　At　that　moment；　a　small　girl　paused　at　the　end　of　the　closest　table　to　ours；　stopping　to　talk　to　a　friend。　She　tossed　her　short；　sandy　hair；　running　her　fingers　through　it。　The　heaters　blew　her　scent　in　our　direction。　I　was　used　to　the　way　that　scent　made　me　feel　the　dry　ache　in　my　throat；　the　hollow　yearn　in　my　stomach；　the　automatic　tightening　of　my　muscles；　the　excess　flow　of　venom　in　my　mouth　This　was　all　quite　normal；　usually　easy　to　ignore。　It　was　harder　just　now；　with　the　feelings　stronger；　doubled；　as　I　monitored　Jasper　s　reaction。　Twin　thirsts；　rather　than　just　mine。　Jasper　was　letting　his　imagination　get　away　from　him。　He　was　picturing　it　picturing　himself　getting　up　from　his　seat　next　to　Alice　and　going　to　stand　beside　the　little　girl。　Thinking　of　leaning　down　and　in；　as　if　he　were　going　to　whisper　in　her　ear；　and　letting　his　lips　touch　the　arch　of　her　throat。　Imagining　how　the　hot　flow　of　her　pulse　beneath　the　fine　skin　would　feel　under　his　mouth　I　kicked　his　chair。　He　met　my　gaze　for　a　minute；　and　then　looked　down。　rebellion　war　in　his　head。　Sorry；　Jasper　muttered。　I　could　hear　shame　and

I　shrugged。　You　weren　t　going　to　do　anything；　Alice　murmured　to　him；　soothing　his　chagrin。　I　could　see　that。　I　fought　back　the　grimace　that　would　give　her　lie　away。　We　had　to　stick　together；　Alice　and　I。　It　wasn　t　easy；　hearing　voices　or　seeing　visions　of　the　future。　Both　freaks　among　those　who　were　already　freaks。　We　protected　each　other　s　secrets。　It　helps　a　little　if　you　think　of　them　as　people；　Alice　suggested；　her　high；　musical　voice　too　fast　for　human　ears　to　understand；　if　any　had　been　close　enough　to　hear。　Her　name　is　Whitney。　She　has　a　baby　sister　she　adores。　Her　mother　invited　Esme　to　that　garden　party；　do　you　remember？　I　know　who　she　is；　Jasper　said　curtly。　He　turned　away　to　stare　out　one　of　the　small　windows　that　were　spaced　just　under　the　eaves　around　the　long　room。　His　tone　ended　the　conversation。　He　would　have　to　hunt　tonight。　It　was　ridiculous　to　take　risks　like　this；　trying　to　test　his　strength；　to　build　his　endurance。　Jasper　should　just　accept　his　limitations　and　work　within　them。　His　former　habits　were　not　conducive　to　our　chosen　lifestyle；　he　shouldn　t　push　himself　in　this　way。　Alice　sighed　silently　and　stood；　taking　her　tray　of　food　her　prop；　as　it　were　with　her　and　leaving　him　alone。　She　knew　when　he　d　had　enough　of　her　encouragement。　Though　Rosalie　and　Emmett　were　more　flagrant　about　their　relationship；　it　was　Alice　and　Jasper　who　knew　each　other　s　every　mood　as　well　as　their　own。　As　if　they　could　read　minds；　too　only　just　each　other　s。　Edward　Cullen。　Reflex　reaction。　I　turned　to　the　sound　of　my　name　being　called；　though　it　wasn　t　being　called；　just　thought。　My　eyes　locked　for　a　small　portion　of　a　second　with　a　pair　of　wide；　chocolatebrown　human　eyes　set　in　a　pale；　heartshaped　face。　I　knew　the　face；　though　I　d　never　seen　it　myself　before　this　moment。　It　had　been　foremost　in　every　human　head　today。　The　new　student；　Isabella　Swan。　Daughter　of　the　town　s　chief　of　police；　brought　to　live　here　by　some　new　custody　situation。　Bella。　She　d　corrected　everyone　who　d　used　her　full　name　I　looked　away；　bored。　one　to　think　my　name。　It　took　me　a　second　to　realize　that　she　had　not　been　the　Of　course　she　s　already　crushing　on　the　Cullens；　I　heard　the　first　thought　continue。　Now　I　recognized　the　voice。　Jessica　Stanley　it　had　been　a　while　since　she　d　bothered　me　with　her　internal　chatter。　What　a　relief　it　had　been　when　she　d　gotten　over　her　misplaced　infatuation。　It　used　to　be　nearly　impossible　to　escape　her　constant；　ridiculous　daydreams。　I　d　wished；　at　the　time；　that　I　could　explain　to　her　exactly　what　would　have　happened　if　my　lips；　and　the　teeth　behind　them；　had　gotten　anywhere　near　her。　That　would　have　silenced　those　annoying　fantasies。　The　thought　of　her　reaction　almost　made　me　smile。

Fat　lot　of　good　it　will　do　her；　Jessica　went　on。　don　t　know　why　Eric　is　staring　so　much　or　Mike。　She　s　really　not　even　pretty。　I　She　winced　mentally　on　the　last　name。　Her　new　infatuation；　the　generically　popular　Mike　Newton；　was　pletely　oblivious　to　her。　Apparently；　he　was　not　as　oblivious　to　the　new　girl。　Like　the　child　with　the　shiny　object　again。　This　put　a　mean　edge　to　Jessica　s　thoughts；　though　she　was　outwardly　cordial　to　the　newer　as　she　explained　to　her　the　monly　held　knowledge　about　my　family。　The　new　student　must　have　asked　about　us。　Everyone　s　looking　at　me　today；　too；　Jessica　thought　smugly　in　an　aside。　Isn　t　it　lucky　Bella　had　two　classes　with　me　I　ll　bet　Mike　will　want　to　ask　me　what　she　s　I　tried　to　block　the　inane　chatter　out　of　my　head　before　the　petty　and　the　trivial　could　drive　me　mad。　Jessica　Stanley　is　giving　the　new　Swan　girl　all　the　dirty　laundry　on　the　Cullen　clan；　I　murmured　to　Emmett　as　a　distraction。　He　chuckled　under　his　breath。　I　hope　she　s　making　it　good；　he　thought。　Not　an　ounce　Rather　unimaginative；　actually。　Just　the　barest　hint　of　scandal。　of　horror。　I　m　a　little　disappointed。　And　the　new　girl？　Is　she　disappointed　in　the　gossip　as　well？　I　listened　to　hear　what　this　new　girl；　Bella；　thought　of　Jessica　s　story。　What　did　she　see　when　she　looked　at　the　strange；　chalkyskinned　family　that　was　universally　avoided？　It　was　sort　of　my　responsibility　to　know　her　reaction。　I　acted　as　a　lookout；　for　lack　of　a　better　word；　for　my　family。　To　protect　us。　If　anyone　ever　grew　suspicious；　I　could　give　us　early　warning　and　an　easy　retreat。　It　happened　occasionally　some　human　with　an　active　imagination　would　see　in　us　the　characters　of　a　book　or　a　movie。　Usually　they　got　it　wrong；　but　it　was　better　to　move　on　somewhere　new　than　to　risk　scrutiny。　Very；　very　rarely；　someone　would　guess　right。　We　didn　t　give　them　a　chance　to　test　their　hypothesis。　We　simply　disappeared；　to　bee　no　more　than　a　frightening　memory　I　heard　nothing；　though　I　listened　close　beside　where　Jessica　s　frivolous　internal　monologue　continued　to　gush。　It　was　as　if　there　was　no　one　sitting　beside　her。　How　peculiar；　had　the　girl　moved？　That　didn　t　seem　likely；　as　Jessica　was　still　babbling　to　her。　I　looked　up　to　check；　feeling　offbalance。　Checking　on　what　my　extra　hearing　could　tell　me　it　wasn　t　something　I　ever　had　to　do。　Again；　my　gaze　locked　on　those　same　wide　brown　eyes。　She　was　sitting　right　where　she　had　been　before；　and　looking　at　us；　a　natural　thing　to　be　doing；　I　supposed；　as　Jessica　was　still　regaling　her　with　the　local　gossip　about　the　Cullens。　Thinking　about　us；　too；　would　be　natural。　But　I　couldn　t　hear　a　whisper。　Inviting　warm　red　stained　her　cheeks　as　she　looked　down；　away　from　the　embarrassing　gaffe　of　getting　caught　staring　at　a　stranger。　It　was　good　that　Jasper　was　still　gazing　out　the　window。　I　didn　t　like　to　imagine　what　that　easy　pooling　of　blood　would　do　to　his　control。

The　emotions　had　been　as　clear　on　her　face　as　if　they　were　spelled　out　in　words　across　her　forehead：　surprise；　as　she　unknowingly　absorbed　the　signs　of　the　subtle　differences　between　her　kind　and　mine；　curiosity；　as　she　listened　to　Jessica　s　tale；　and　something　more　fascination？　It　wouldn　t　be　the　first　time。　We　were　beautiful　to　them；　our　intended　prey。　Then；　finally；　embarrassment　as　I　caught　her　staring　at　me。　And　yet；　though　her　thoughts　had　been　so　clear　in　her　odd　eyes　odd；　because　of　the　depth　to　them；　brown　eyes　often　seemed　flat　in　their　darkness　I　could　hear　nothing　but　silence　from　the　place　she　was　sitting。　Nothing　at　all。　I　felt　a　moment　of　unease。　This　was　nothing　I　d　ever　encountered　before。　Was　there　something　wrong　with　me？　I　felt　exactly　the　same　as　I　always　did。　Worried；　I　listened　harder。　All　the　voices　I　d　been　blocking　were　suddenly　shouting　in　my　head。　wonder　what　music　she　likes　maybe　I　could　mention　that　new　CD　Mike　Newton　was　thinking；　two　tables　away　fixated　on　Bella　Swan。　Look　at　him　staring　at　her。　Isn　t　it　enough　that　he　has　half　the　girls　in　school　waiting　for　him　to　Eric　Yorkie　was　thinking　sulfurous　thoughts；　also　revolving　around　the　girl。　so　disgusting。　You　d　think　she　was　famous　or　something　Even　Edward　Cullen；　staring　Lauren　Mallory　was　so　jealous　that　her　face；　by　all　rights；　should　be　dark　jade　in　color。　And　Jessica；　flaunting　her　new　best　friend。　What　a　joke　Vitriol　continued　to　spew　from　the　girl　s　thoughts。　I　bet　everyone　has　asked　her　that。　But　I　d　like　to　talk　to　her。　more　original　question　Ashley　Dowling　mused。　maybe　she　ll　be　in　my　Spanish　June　Richardson　hoped。　I　ll　think　of　a　tons　left　to　do　tonight！　Trig；　and　the　English　test。　I　hope　my　mom　Angela　Weber；　a　quiet　girl；　whose　thoughts　were　unusually　kind；　was　the　only　one　at　the　table　who　wasn　t　obsessed　with　this　Bella。　I　could　hear　them　all；　hear　every　insignificant　thing　they　were　thinking　as　it　passed　through　their　minds。　But　nothing　at　all　from　the　new　student　with　the　deceptively　municative　eyes。　And；　of　course；　I　could　hear　what　the　girl　said　when　she　spoke　to　Jessica。　I　didn　t　have　to　read　minds　to　be　able　to　hear　her　low；　clear　voice　on　the　far　side　of　the　long　room。　Which　one　is　the　boy　with　the　reddish　brown　hair？　I　heard　her　ask；　sneaking　a　look　at　me　from　the　corner　of　her　eye；　only　to　look　quickly　away　when　she　saw　that　I　was　still　staring。　If　I　d　had　time　to　hope　that　hearing　the　sound　of　her　voice　would　help　me　pinpoint　the　tone　of　her　thoughts；　lost　somewhere　where　I　couldn　t　access　them；　I　was　instantly　disappointed。　Usually；　people　s　thoughts　came　to　them　in　a　similar　pitch　as　their　physical　voices。　But　this　quiet；　shy　voice　was　unfamiliar；　not　one　of　the　hundreds　of　thoughts　bouncing　around　the　room；　I　was　sure　of　that。　Entirely　new。　Oh；　good　luck；　idiot！　Jessica　thought　before　answering　the　girl　s　question。

That　s　Edward。　He　s　gorgeous；　of　course；　but　don　t　waste　your　time。　He　doesn　t　date。　Apparently　none　of　the　girls　here　are　goodlooking　enough　for　him。　She　sniffed。　I　turned　my　head　away　to　hide　my　smile。　Jessica　and　her　classmates　had　no　idea　how　lucky　they　were　that　none　of　them　particularly　appealed　to　me。　Beneath　the　transient　humor；　I　felt　a　strange　impulse；　one　I　did　not　clearly　understand。　It　had　something　to　do　with　the　vicious　edge　to　Jessica　s　thoughts　that　the　new　girl　was　unaware　of　I　felt　the　strangest　urge　to　step　in　between　them；　to　shield　this　Bella　Swan　from　the　darker　workings　of　Jessica　s　mind。　What　an　odd　thing　to　feel。　Trying　to　ferret　out　the　motivations　behind　the　impulse；　I　examined　the　new　girl　one　more　time。　Perhaps　it　was　just　some　long　buried　protective　instinct　the　strong　for　the　weak。　This　girl　looked　more　fragile　than　her　new　classmates。　Her　skin　was　so　translucent　it　was　hard　to　believe　it　offered　her　much　defense　from　the　outside　world。　I　could　see　the　rhythmic　pulse　of　blood　through　her　veins　under　the　clear；　pale　membrane　But　I　should　not　concentrate　on　that。　I　was　good　at　this　life　I　d　chosen；　but　I　was　just　as　thirsty　as　Jasper　and　there　was　no　point　in　inviting　temptation。　There　was　a　faint　crease　between　her　eyebrows　that　she　seemed　unaware　of。　It　was　unbelievable　frustrating！　I　could　clearly　see　that　it　was　a　strain　for　her　to　sit　there；　to　make　conversation　with　strangers；　to　be　the　center　o