The cafeteria buzzed with its usual lunchtime chaos—plastic trays clattering against tables, overlapping conversations about weekend plans and *American Idol* results, and the occasional screech of metal chair legs against worn linoleum. Bella pushed through the double doors, her worn Converse squeaking slightly against the floor, immediately aware of how conversations seemed to pause mid-sentence as she passed.
She'd left Edward's jacket in her locker—partly because the ancient heating system had finally remembered its job, and partly because wearing it felt like carrying a neon sign reading "Edward Cullen's Property" in letters visible from the parking lot.
Finding him was effortless. Edward sat alone at their usual corner table near the rain-streaked windows, bronze hair catching what little gray light managed to penetrate the Pacific Northwest gloom. Even doing something as mundane as waiting for lunch, he managed to look like he belonged on the cover of *Rolling Stone*—all sharp cheekbones and that careful posture that screamed expensive boarding schools.
He rose as she approached with that impossible fluid grace, pulling out her chair with the kind of old-world courtesy that belonged in black-and-white Cary Grant movies.
"Thank you," she murmured, settling into the seat and being immediately surrounded by his presence—that clean, expensive scent like cedar forests and something indefinably masculine that made her slightly dizzy.
"You're quite welcome," Edward replied, his voice carrying that precise articulation that suggested private tutors and probably several decades of practice. His golden eyes sparkled with barely contained amusement. "Though I feel obligated to warn you—we're currently being observed with the scientific rigor typically reserved for *Animal Planet* documentaries."
Bella glanced around and immediately spotted the source of his entertainment. Jessica sat at their usual table with Angela, Mike, and Eric, making absolutely zero effort to disguise her fascination. She was leaning forward like she was watching the season finale of *Laguna Beach*, completely ignoring Mike's animated description of his weekend fishing expedition.
"Let me guess," Bella said dryly, unwrapping her turkey sandwich. "Jessica's mental commentary is particularly enlightening today?"
"She's been replaying your mathematics discussion in what I can only describe as an endless loop for the past forty-seven minutes," Edward said, that crooked smile tugging at his lips. "Apparently, you confessed that your feelings for me significantly exceed mine for you. Her exact thoughts involved the phrase 'totally unfair emotional imbalance' and several creative suggestions for how you might 'level the playing field.'"
Heat flooded Bella's cheeks like she'd been slapped. "Edward, you promised you wouldn't—"
"I attempted not to listen," he interrupted gently, leaning forward with that earnest intensity that made breathing difficult. "Unfortunately, Jessica's cognitive processes become remarkably... amplified when she's excited. And she's been exceptionally excited about analyzing our relationship dynamics. Something about it being 'better than *The O.C.*'"
"Fantastic," Bella muttered, dropping her head into her hands. "I'm officially the cafeteria's afternoon entertainment."
"Bella." Edward's voice dropped to that velvet register that seemed to bypass her brain entirely. "Look at me."
She reluctantly lifted her head, meeting those impossible golden eyes that seemed to catalog every micro-expression. There was something serious in his face now, something that made her stomach perform complicated gymnastics.
"It troubles me greatly that you believe my feelings for you are somehow... insufficient compared to yours."
"Edward—"
"It's categorically false," he continued, his voice growing more earnest. "So remarkably incorrect that I find myself genuinely confused about how you reached such a conclusion. Help me understand your reasoning."
Bella stared at him, taking in the sharp planes of his face, the way he held himself with such careful control even while discussing something clearly personal. How could she explain that loving him felt like trying to hold onto smoke?
"Well, aside from the obvious reasons," she said finally, barely above a whisper, "you always seem to be calculating escape routes. Like you're constantly evaluating whether this—us—is worth the complications."
Edward's brow furrowed with genuine confusion. "What exactly do you mean by 'obvious reasons'?"
Bella looked down at her hands, twisted together like they were solving a complex puzzle. "Come on, Edward. Look at me objectively. I'm spectacularly ordinary. Brown hair, brown eyes, nothing remotely remarkable. I trip over flat surfaces, I turn red whenever anyone looks at me directly, and my idea of excitement is reorganizing my bookshelf by publication date." She forced herself to meet his eyes. "And then there's you. You look like you stepped off the pages of *Vanity Fair*, you speak like you have degrees from Harvard, and you probably have more life experience than my dad. Why would someone like you settle for someone like me?"
Edward's expression immediately shifted to something almost pained. "Bella, you cannot possibly believe that about yourself."
"Believe what?"
"That you're ordinary in any conceivable way." Edward leaned forward, his golden eyes becoming laser-focused. "Are you aware of what occurred when you first entered this school? Every male student in this cafeteria stopped whatever they were doing to stare. Mike Newton has been devising increasingly elaborate schemes to ask you to prom since your first day. Tyler Crowley nearly committed vehicular manslaughter because he was too distracted watching you to pay attention to his van."
"That doesn't—"
"Eric Yorkie has rewritten his yearbook article about new students three times because he keeps getting sidetracked searching for more impressive adjectives to describe you," Edward continued relentlessly. "Even Emmett noticed you, and Emmett's attention span for humans typically extends only to potential arm-wrestling opponents."
Bella felt her cheeks flame. "That's just novelty. New girl syndrome. It doesn't mean anything."
"Is that your assessment of my interest as well?" Edward asked, his voice growing dangerously soft. "That I'm merely fascinated by novelty?"
"I..." Bella faltered, not sure how to answer without revealing her terror that he might wake up tomorrow and realize she wasn't worth the trouble. "Maybe?"
Edward was quiet for several heartbeats, his expression cycling through emotions too complex to interpret. When he spoke again, his voice carried weight that made her chest constrict.
"You mentioned that I seem to search for reasons to end our relationship," he said quietly. "You're absolutely correct. I am."
The words hit like ice water, confirming every insecurity she'd been suppressing. Something in her chest cracked—a fracture threatening to split her completely open.
"But not," Edward continued quickly, his hand reaching across to cover hers, "because my feelings are insufficient. Quite the opposite."
"I don't understand."
"Bella, I would terminate this relationship immediately if I believed it would ensure your safety," Edward said, his voice rough with barely contained emotion. "I would inflict that pain upon myself, destroy my own happiness, walk away from the most extraordinary thing that has ever entered my existence—if it meant protecting you from harm. That isn't caring less than you do. That's caring so intensely it genuinely frightens me."
Bella stared at him, trying to process the contradiction. "But I would do exactly the same thing for you."
"No," Edward said immediately, with absolute conviction. "You would never face that choice. I will always ensure your safety, Bella. Always. You'll never encounter a situation where self-sacrifice becomes necessary because I won't permit anything to threaten you."
As Edward spoke with such fierce certainty about protecting her, Bella found her mind wandering down a darker path. He'd just admitted that his primary motivation for potentially leaving was her safety—that he'd stay as long as she needed protection. Which meant...
A terrible thought occurred to her, manipulative and calculating and completely unlike anything she'd ever considered. If Edward's deepest instinct was to shield her from danger, if he'd remain close as long as he perceived threats, then perhaps the solution wasn't proving she could handle his world.
Perhaps it was proving she couldn't.
She could find ways to put herself in harm's way—small incidents, seemingly accidental situations that would trigger his protective instincts and keep him anchored. It would be easy enough. Forks was full of potential hazards, from icy roads to unstable hiking trails to isolated spots where a clumsy human might easily find herself in trouble.
The thought made her stomach twist with self-disgust, but she couldn't entirely dismiss it. What if it worked? What if a few carefully orchestrated close calls could convince Edward that leaving would be signing her death warrant?
It was horrible. Manipulative and dishonest and potentially dangerous.
But as she looked at his perfect face, at the careful way he held himself like he was always prepared to bolt, she found herself wondering if it might also be necessary.
---
Across the cafeteria, eight pairs of supernaturally enhanced ears were focused on the quiet conversation by the windows with the intensity of CIA operatives conducting surveillance.
Alice perched on the edge of her chair like an excited sparrow, her pixie-cut hair catching the fluorescent lights as she practically vibrated with interest. Her petite frame was coiled with barely contained energy, dark eyes wide with fascination. "Oh my God, this is better than *Gilmore Girls*," she whispered, her voice pitched so low only vampire hearing could detect it. "The emotional complexity! The romantic tension! It's like watching a live-action Nicholas Sparks novel!"
Beside her, Jasper drummed his scarred fingers against the table with mechanical precision, his empathic abilities tracking every emotional shift like a supernatural mood ring. His blonde hair fell across his forehead as he concentrated, that distinctive Southern drawl becoming more pronounced. "Somethin' just changed," he murmured, golden eyes never leaving the couple. "Bella's emotional signature shifted dramatically. Fear, determination, and somethin' that feels distinctly like... strategic plannin'."
Emmett, who'd been balancing his water bottle on one finger with casual disregard for physics, let it drop with a soft thunk. His muscular frame filled out his shirt in a way that would make personal trainers weep with envy, but his boyish grin was pure mischief. "Strategic planning? That sounds ominous. Should we be worried about Edward's girlfriend developing battle tactics?"
"Depends on what kind of battle she's planning," Rosalie said coolly, her golden eyes narrowed as she studied Bella's face with surgical precision. Her voice carried that crisp aristocratic tone that could cut glass, red hair falling in perfect waves past her shoulders. "She's realizing something important about the power dynamic in their relationship."
Katherine tilted her head, dark hair falling like a curtain as she leaned closer to Elizabeth. Her slight Scottish brogue added musical quality to her whispered words. "What sort of power dynamic?" Despite her petite stature, there was something distinctly predatory in her dark eyes—like a beautiful, dangerous cat.
"The kind where one person holds all the emotional leverage," Elizabeth replied softly, her blonde hair catching the light as she spoke. Her own Scottish accent complemented her girlfriend's perfectly, though her demeanor was gentler, more nurturing. "Edward just told her he'd sacrifice his happiness for her safety. That's considerable influence to hand someone."
At the far end of their extended table arrangement, Daenerys sat with regal composure that seemed almost otherworldly. Her silver hair fell in loose waves past her shoulders, and when she smiled—a expression both beautiful and slightly dangerous—her violet eyes sparkled with ancient wisdom despite her apparent youth. She was tracing lazy patterns along Hadrian's forearm, the gesture so casual it appeared unconscious.
"She's figuring out that Edward Cullen would move mountains to keep her safe," Daenerys observed, her voice carrying that slight huskiness that made people stop conversations to listen. "The question is whether she'll use that knowledge responsibly."
Hadrian caught her wandering hand in his, intertwining their fingers with practiced ease. His emerald eyes never left Bella's face, and there was something almost approving in his expression—like he was impressed by her tactical thinking. With his dark hair and strong jawline, he looked like he belonged on the cover of *Men's Health*, but there was an intelligence in his gaze that suggested depths beyond physical perfection.
"Fascinating," he murmured, lifting their joined hands to press a kiss to Daenerys's knuckles. "I didn't expect such calculated reasoning from someone so young."
The gesture was so natural it suggested decades of practice, though they appeared barely older than college students. Daenerys's lips curved in a smile that was pure feminine satisfaction at his attention.
"Mmm," she hummed, violet eyes dancing with mischief. "You do love a strategically minded woman, don't you?"
"I love *this* strategically minded woman," Hadrian corrected, his thumb tracing patterns against her palm. "Your tactical brilliance just happens to be one of many appealing qualities."
"Just one of many?" Daenerys raised an eyebrow in mock offense. "How disappointing. Here I thought my ability to plan military campaigns was my most attractive feature."
"Not even close," Hadrian replied, his emerald eyes growing distinctly heated. "Though watching you command a room is admittedly quite—"
"Oi!" Emmett interrupted with a grin. "Keep it PG-13, you two. Some of us are trying to eavesdrop on Edward's love life without getting distracted by yours."
Alice giggled, a sound like silver bells. "They can't help it. They're like this constantly. Yesterday I caught them having an entire conversation through meaningful glances during AP History."
"Wait, that's not good, is it?" Alice continued, her previous excitement dimming as she refocused on the main conversation. "If Bella starts manipulating Edward's protective instincts? That would be... really unhealthy relationship behavior."
"Self-preservation ain't inherently unhealthy," Jasper drawled, though his scarred hands had stilled their drumming. "Especially when you're datin' someone who could accidentally crush your windpipe if he sneezed too enthusiastically."
"Jasper!" Alice smacked his arm lightly, her pixie features scrunching with disapproval.
"What? I'm bein' realistic here, darlin'. Edward absolutely could kill her by accident—we all could. If she's startin' to understand that particular dynamic and thinkin' about how to navigate it strategically..." He shrugged, that Southern charm making even dark observations sound casual. "Well, it's more intelligent than I initially gave her credit for."
Rosalie's smile was sharp as winter, her supermodel features arranged in an expression of cool approval. "Exactly my point. One moment of compromised control, one second where his vampire instincts override his rational thought, and Isabella Swan becomes a very pretty corpse. The fact that she's beginning to grasp these realities and consider countermeasures is actually quite astute."
"She's almost seventeen," Daenerys observed, her free hand reaching up to tuck a strand of silver hair behind her ear—a gesture that drew Hadrian's attention like a magnet. "Seventeen-year-old girls experiencing their first serious relationship aren't renowned for ethical clarity. Especially when they're desperately trying to hold onto something they're terrified of losing."
"Speaking from experience?" Katherine teased, her dark eyes twinkling with mischief.
Daenerys's laugh was like music—rich and throaty and completely captivating. "Hardly. I was married and widowed by seventeen. My relationship experience was rather different from most teenagers'."
"You know?" Elizabeth looked fascinated. "We never did get that full story from you."
"Perhaps for another time," Daenerys replied diplomatically, though her violet eyes grew distant for a moment. Hadrian squeezed her hand gently, drawing her back to the present.
"Should we intervene?" Hadrian asked, his emerald gaze shifting back to Edward and Bella. "If she's genuinely considering manipulation tactics—"
"Edward can handle himself," Daenerys interrupted gently, though her attention remained fixed on the couple. "And Bella isn't malicious by nature. She's frightened. There's a significant difference between fear-based decision making and genuine malevolence."
"Plus," she added with a sly smile, "you're hardly one to criticize strategic relationship maneuvering, my love. Remind me how exactly you secured my attention during our first meeting?"
Hadrian's grin was pure masculine satisfaction. "That was completely different. I used charm and wit, not psychological manipulation."
"You used *calculated* charm and wit," Daenerys corrected, her violet eyes sparkling. "After conducting what could only be described as reconnaissance on my interests and preferences."
"Research," Hadrian protested. "I prefer the term research."
"You asked my handmaidens about my favorite foods, my reading preferences, and my opinions on various political strategies," Daenerys continued, clearly enjoying herself. "Then you appeared at my door with rare books on military history and honey cakes from my childhood, ready to debate the finer points of siege warfare."
Alice was practically bouncing in her seat. "That's so romantic! Like something out of *Pride and Prejudice*!"
"It was effective," Hadrian admitted without shame. "Though in my defense, everything I learned only made me more genuinely interested."
"Mmm." Daenerys lifted their joined hands to press a kiss to his knuckles, mirroring his earlier gesture. "Lucky for you, I find intelligence irresistible."
"Frightened people make dangerous choices," Alice pointed out, trying to steer the conversation back to the central concern while clearly being entertained by the romantic byplay.
"So do people in love," Hadrian replied, his thumb resuming its gentle patterns against Daenerys's palm. "The question is whether she'll act on these impulses or simply entertain them momentarily."
As they watched, Edward reached across his table to cover Bella's hand with his own, the movement tender and protective in a way that made Alice literally sigh with romantic satisfaction.
"Look at her expression," Elizabeth murmured, her blonde hair falling forward as she studied the scene. "She's already pulling back from whatever dark thoughts crossed her mind. See how her posture changed? She's disgusted with herself for even considering manipulation."
"You really think so?" Rosalie asked skeptically, one perfectly sculpted eyebrow arching with disbelief.
"I'm certain of it," Elizabeth said firmly, her Scottish accent becoming more pronounced with conviction. "Watch her body language—she's straightening up, refocusing on Edward instead of her internal scheming. She's too fundamentally honest for sustained deception."
Indeed, as they observed, Bella seemed to shake herself mentally, her expression clearing as she focused entirely on Edward's words rather than whatever calculating thoughts had briefly occupied her mind.
"Crisis averted?" Emmett asked hopefully, his boyish grin returning.
"For now," Jasper confirmed, visible relief spreading across his features. "Her emotional signature is stabilizin'. Whatever she was plannin', she's chosen not to pursue it. At least not immediately."
"Thank God," Alice said emphatically, her dark eyes bright with relief. "Edward deserves someone who loves him authentically, not someone who tries to trap him through psychological manipulation."
"Everyone deserves authentic love," Daenerys corrected gently, her violet gaze growing serious. "Including Bella. She deserves to be cherished for who she actually is, not maintained in Edward's orbit through misguided protective obligation."
"Which brings us directly back to the fundamental issue," Rosalie said, her voice carrying the exhausted tone of someone who'd been making identical arguments for weeks. "They're both too young and too emotionally intense for their own good. This entire situation is destined for catastrophic failure."
Hadrian was quiet for a moment, his emerald gaze still fixed on Edward and Bella with thoughtful attention. When he spoke, his voice carried the weight of considerable experience. "Perhaps. Or perhaps they'll surprise us all."
"You genuinely believe they can make this work?" Katherine asked, real curiosity coloring her question.
"I believe," Hadrian said slowly, his free hand reaching up to tuck a strand of silver hair behind Daenerys's ear—a gesture that made her violet eyes flutter closed briefly in contentment, "that love makes people capable of extraordinary things. Both wonderfully transcendent and terrifyingly destructive. The critical question is which direction they'll ultimately choose."
"Very philosophical," Daenerys murmured, turning her head slightly to press a kiss to his palm. "I love it when you get all wise and mysterious."
"Just trying to impress you with my emotional intelligence," Hadrian replied, his emerald eyes growing warm.
"Consider me thoroughly impressed," she said, her voice dropping to that husky register that made his breath catch visibly. "We should definitely discuss your... emotional intelligence... in more detail later."
"Oh, for crying out loud," Emmett groaned good-naturedly. "You two are worse than a Nicholas Sparks movie. Can we please focus on the actual drama happening ten feet away?"
Across the cafeteria, Edward was lifting Bella's hand to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss to her knuckles that made her smile with such radiant happiness it was almost physically painful to witness.
"Transcendent," Alice whispered, her entire face lighting up with delight. "Definitely transcendent."
But Jasper's scarred fingers had resumed their rhythmic drumming against the table, and his golden eyes remained troubled as he continued monitoring the complex emotional currents swirling around the young couple.
Because even transcendent things could become destructive, given the proper circumstances.
And in a world where vampires attempted to love humans, the circumstances were perpetually aligned for tragedy.
—
The weight of Edward's confession settled between them like morning fog, thick and inescapable. Bella found herself staring at their joined hands on the white tablecloth, his marble-cool skin a stark contrast to her own warmth. The casual way he'd just admitted to being willing to destroy his own happiness to protect her should have been romantic. Instead, it felt like a sword hanging over their relationship, ready to fall the moment he decided she was in too much danger.
"So," she said finally, forcing lightness into her voice, "are we still on for Seattle this Saturday? Or was that just an elaborate excuse to keep me from going to the spring dance?"
Edward's expression shifted, surprise flickering across his perfect features. "You actually want to go to Seattle?"
"I want to spend time with you," Bella said honestly. "Seattle just seemed like a convenient destination when I was trying to avoid Mike Newton's increasingly desperate prom proposals."
"And now?"
"Now I'm definitely not going to the dance." Bella wrinkled her nose. "Have you seen me try to walk across flat surfaces? The idea of me attempting to dance in heels is basically a recipe for disaster. Someone would end up in the emergency room, and it would probably be me."
Edward's laugh was soft and genuine, transforming his face from marble statue to something wonderfully human. "You're not that clumsy."
"Edward, I tripped over my own backpack yesterday. While it was sitting still. On the floor. That's a special level of coordination failure."
"Point taken." His smile widened. "So Seattle it is, then. Though I should warn you—I had something slightly different in mind than shopping and tourist attractions."
"Different how?"
"It's a surprise." Edward's eyes sparkled with something that might have been mischief. "But I promise you'll find it... illuminating."
Bella raised an eyebrow at his choice of words, filing away the deliberate emphasis for later consideration. "Illuminating. Right. Should I be concerned about this surprise? Because your definition of illuminating might be very different from mine."
"Only one way to find out."
"Fine. But I have conditions." Bella held up a finger. "First condition: I'm driving."
Edward blinked, clearly not having expected that particular demand. "You want to drive? To Seattle?"
"My truck gets good gas mileage, and I don't want to have to explain to Charlie why my plans suddenly changed from going alone to going with my mysterious boyfriend." Bella paused. "Also, your driving terrifies me. You treat speed limits like gentle suggestions."
"I'm an excellent driver," Edward protested, though his mouth was twitching with suppressed amusement.
"You're a driver with supernatural reflexes who thinks doing ninety on a two-lane highway is perfectly safe. There's a difference." Bella crossed her arms. "So either I drive, or we're not going anywhere."
Edward studied her for a moment, his golden eyes dancing with something that looked suspiciously like fond exasperation. "Why won't you just tell Charlie about us? About our relationship?"
"Because Charlie operates on a need-to-know basis, and right now he doesn't need to know that I'm dating anyone," Bella said firmly. "Less is more with my father. The fewer details I give him, the fewer questions he asks, and the fewer opportunities there are for him to get all protective and weird."
"Weird how?"
"Weird like cleaning his service weapon while giving you the 'what are your intentions with my daughter' speech," Bella said dryly. "Charlie's a cop, Edward. He has professionally developed suspicion skills and access to background check databases. Do you really want him running your name through the system?"
Something shifted in Edward's expression—a flicker of concern that was there and gone so quickly she almost missed it. "No," he said quietly. "I suppose not."
"Exactly. So we keep this simple. I'm going to Seattle with a friend. End of story."
Edward was quiet for a moment, his fingers drumming that restless rhythm against the table. When he spoke, his voice carried a weight that made her stomach flutter with sudden nervousness.
"Actually," he said, "you should tell Charlie we're together."
"What? Why?" Bella's voice pitched higher than she'd intended. "I thought we just agreed that was a bad idea."
"Because," Edward said, his golden eyes meeting hers with an intensity that made her breath catch, "if Charlie knows you're with me—if he knows you're important to me—then there's more incentive for me to make sure you come home safely."
The words hung in the air between them like a challenge, loaded with implications that made something cold settle in Bella's stomach. She stared at him, taking in the careful way he held himself, the serious set of his jaw, the genuine concern in his impossible eyes.
"Edward," she said slowly, "that sounds suspiciously like you're planning something dangerous."
"Not dangerous," he said immediately. "Just... revelatory."
"Revelatory how?"
Edward's smile was small and mysterious, the expression of someone who was enjoying having knowledge she didn't. "You'll see on Saturday."
Bella felt her heart skip a beat, though she couldn't tell if it was from excitement or apprehension. Maybe both. "You're not going to tell me anything else, are you?"
"Where would be the fun in that?"
"Edward." Her voice carried a warning note that made his smile widen.
"Trust me," he said simply, reaching across to squeeze her hand gently. "Have I ever given you reason not to?"
"Well, there was that time you wanted to drink my blood," Bella pointed out. "That was a little concerning."
"I said I wanted to," Edward corrected, his voice growing more serious. "I never said I was going to."
"Right. Important distinction." Bella studied his face, noting the way his expression had shifted from playful to something more vulnerable. "You're not going to hurt me, are you?"
"Never intentionally," Edward said, and the absolute conviction in his voice made something warm spread through her chest despite her lingering concern.
"Okay," she said finally. "Saturday. My truck. Your mysterious surprise. But Edward?"
"Yes?"
"If your idea of illuminating involves anything that could get me killed, injured, or traumatized for life, I'm going to be very upset with you."
"Noted," Edward said solemnly, though his eyes were still dancing with that mischievous light. "Though I should point out that spending time with vampires inherently involves some risk of all three."
"True. But there's normal vampire boyfriend risk, and then there's 'let's go poke the supernatural hornet's nest' risk. Please tell me we're staying in the first category."
"We're staying in the first category," Edward said, but something in his tone made her think he might be stretching the definition of 'normal' pretty significantly.
"I'm going to regret this, aren't I?" Bella muttered, but she was smiling as she said it.
"Probably," Edward agreed cheerfully. "But I promise it will be memorable."
"That's what I'm afraid of."
The bell rang then, signaling the end of lunch, and students began clearing their tables and heading toward their afternoon classes. Edward rose with that fluid grace, offering Bella his hand as she gathered her things.
"So," he said as they walked toward the cafeteria exit, "will you tell Charlie about us?"
Bella considered this, weighing her options. On one hand, she really didn't want to deal with her father's inevitable questions and protective instincts. On the other hand, the way Edward had phrased his request—*there's more incentive for me to make sure you come home safely*—suggested that whatever he was planning for Saturday might actually warrant some parental notification.
"I'll think about it," she said finally.
"Bella."
Something in his tone made her stop and look at him fully. His expression had grown serious again, the playfulness gone, replaced by something that looked almost like fear.
"Promise me," he said quietly, "that you'll tell Charlie something. Even if it's just that you're going somewhere with me. Please."
The vulnerability in his voice, the genuine concern she could see in his golden eyes, made her decision for her.
"Okay," she said softly. "I'll tell him we're... friends. That I'm going to Seattle with a friend from school."
"Thank you." Edward's relief was so obvious it made her chest tight. "That's all I need."
But as they walked toward their afternoon classes, Bella couldn't shake the feeling that Edward's mysterious Saturday surprise was going to change everything.
Again.
And this time, she wasn't sure she was ready for it.
---
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