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           Istaredafterhimuntil

           hewasgone.

           Iwassorelytemptedtoditchtherestoftheday,attheveryleastGym,butawarninginstinctstoppedme.IknewthatifIdisappearednow,MikeandotherswouldassumeIwaswithEdward.AndEdwardwasworriedaboutthetimewe’dspenttogetherpublicly...ifthingswentwrong.Irefusedtodwellonthelastthought,concentratinginsteadonmakingthingssaferforhim.

           Iintuitivelyknew-andsensedhedid,too-thattomorrowwouldbepivotal.Ourrelationshipcouldn’tcontinuetobalance,asitdid,onthepointofaknife.Wewouldfalloffoneedgeortheother,dependingentirelyuponhisdecision,orhisinstincts.Mydecisionwasmade,madebeforeI’deverconsciouslychosen,andIwascommittedtoseeingitthrough.Becausetherewasnothingmoreterrifyingtome,moreexcruciating,thanthethoughtofturningawayfromhim.Itwasanimpossibility.

           Iwenttoclass,feelingdutiful.Icouldn’thonestlysaywhathappenedinBiology;mymindwastoopreoccupiedwiththoughtsoftomorrow.InGym,Mikewasspeakingtomeagain;hewishedmeagoodtimeinSeattle.IcarefullyexplainedthatI’dcanceledmytrip,worriedaboutmytruck.

           "AreyougoingtothedancewithCullen?"heasked,suddenlysulky.

           "No,I’mnotgoingtothedanceatall."

           "Whatareyoudoing,then?"heasked,toointerested.

           Mynaturalurgewastotellhimtobuttout.Instead,Iliedbrightly.

           "Laundry,andthenIhavetostudyfortheTrigtestorI’mgoingtofail."