Chapter 4

           Inmydreamitwasverydark,andwhatdimlighttherewasseemedtoberadiatingfromEdward’sskin.Icouldn’tseehisface,justhisbackashewalkedawayfromme,leavingmeintheblackness.NomatterhowfastIran,Icouldn’tcatchuptohim;nomatterhowloudIcalled,heneverturned.Troubled,Iwokeinthemiddleofthenightandcouldn’tsleepagainforwhatseemedlikeaverylongtime.Afterthat,hewasinmydreamsnearlyeverynight,butalwaysontheperiphery,neverwithinreach.

           Themonththatfollowedtheaccidentwasuneasy,tense,and,atfirst,embarrassing.

           Tomydismay,Ifoundmyselfthecenterofattentionfortherestofthatweek.TylerCrowleywasimpossible,followingmearound,obsessedwithmakingamendstomesomehow.ItriedtoconvincehimwhatIwantedmorethananythingelsewasforhimtoforgetallaboutit-especiallysincenothinghadactuallyhappenedtome-butheremainedinsistent.Hefollowedmebetweenclassesandsatatournow-crowdedlunchtable.MikeandEricwereevenlessfriendlytowardhimthantheyweretoeachother,whichmademeworrythatI’dgainedanotherunwelcomefan.

           NooneseemedconcernedaboutEdward,thoughIexplainedoverandoverthathewasthehero-howhehadpulledmeoutofthewayandhadnearlybeencrushed,too.Itriedtobeconvincing.Jessica,Mike,Eric,andeveryoneelsealwayscommentedthattheyhadn’tevenseenhimtheretillthevanwaspulledaway.