And　then　my　dreams　felt　so　real—nightmares　mostly；　made　more　vivid；　I　guessed；　by　the　too…bright
  colors　of　the　island—that　I　woke　up　tired　no　matter　how　long　I　slept。
  About　a　week　or　so　after　we'd　gotten　to　the　island；　I　decided　to　try　compromise。　It　had　worked　for　us　in
  the　past。
  I　was　sleeping　in　the　blue　room　now。　The　cleaning　crew　wasn't　due　until　the　next　day；　and　so　the　white
  room　still　had　a　snowy　blanket　of　down。　The　blue　room　was　smaller；　the　bed　more　reasonably
  proportioned。　The　walls　were
  dark；　paneled　in　teak；　and　the　fittings　were　all　luxurious　blue　silk。
  I'd　taken　to　wearing　some　of　Alice's　lingerie　collection　to　sleep　in　at　night—which　weren't　so　revealing
  compared　to　the　scanty　bikinis　she'd　packed　for　me　when　it　came　right　down　to　it。　I　wondered　if　she'd
  seen　a　vision　of　why　I　would　want　such　things；　and　then　shuddered；　embarrassed　by　that　thought。
  I'd　started　out　slow　with　innocent　ivory　satins；　worried　that　revealing　more　of　my　skin　would　be　the
  opposite　of　helpful；　but　ready　to　try　anything。　Edward　seemed　to　notice　nothing；　as　if　I　were　wearing　the
  same　ratty　old　sweats　I　wore　at　home。
  The　bruises　were　much　better　now—yellowing　in　some　places　and　disappearing　altogether　in　others—so
  tonight　I　pulled　out　one　of　the　scarier　pieces　as　I　got　ready　in　the　paneled　bathroom。　It　was　black；　lacy；
  and　embarrassing　to　look　at　even　when　it　wasn't　on。　I　was　careful　not　to　look　in　the　mirror　before　I　went
  back　to　the　bedroom。　I　didn't　want　to　lose　my　nerve。
  I　had　the　satisfaction　of　watching　his　eyes　pop　open　wide　for　just　a　second　before　he　controlled　his
  expression。
  〃What　do　you　think？〃　I　asked；　pirouetting　so　that　he　could　see　every　angle。
  He　cleared　his　throat。　〃You　look　beautiful。　You　always　do。〃
  〃Thanks；〃　I　said　a　bit　sourly。
  I　was　too　tired　to　resist　climbing　quickly　into　the　soft　bed。　He　put　his　arms　around　me　and　pulled　me
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  against　his　chest；　but　this　was　routine—it　was　too　hot　to　sleep　without　his　cool　body　close。
  〃I'll　make　you　a　deal；〃　I　said　sleepily。
  〃I　will　not　make　any　deals　with　you；〃　he　answered。
  〃You　haven't　even　heard　what　I'm　offering。〃
  〃It　doesn't　matter。〃
  I　sighed。　〃Dang　it。　And　I　really　wanted。。。　Oh　well。〃
  He　rolled　his　eyes。
  I　closed　mine　and　let　the　bait　sit　there。　I　yawned。
  It　took　only　a　minute—not　long　enough　for　me　to　zonk　out。
  〃All　right。　What　is　it　you　want？〃
  I　gritted　my　teeth　for　a　second；　fighting　a　smile。　If　there　was　one　thing　he　couldn't　resist；　it　was　an
  opportunity　to　give　me　something。
  〃Well；　I　was　thinking。。。　I　know　that　the　whole　Dartmouth　thing　was　just　supposed　to　be　a　cover　story；
  but　honestly；　one　semester　of　college　probably　wouldn't　kill　me；〃　I　said；　echoing　his　words　from　long　ago；
  when　he'd　tried　to　persuade　me　to　put　off　becoming　a　vampire。　〃Charlie　would　get　a　thrill　out　of
  Dartmouth　stories；　I　bet。　Sure；　it　might　be　embarrassing　if　I　can't　keep　up　with　all　the　brainiacs。　Still。。。
  eighteen；　nineteen。　It's　really　not　such　a　big　difference。　It's　not　like　I'm　going　to　get　crow's　feet　in　the　next
  year。〃
  He　was　silent　for　a　long　moment。　Then；　in　a　low　voice；　he　said；　〃You　would　wait。　You　would　stay
  human。〃
  I　held　my　tongue；　letting　the　offer　sink　in。
  〃Why　are　you　doing　this　to　me？〃　he　said　through　his　teeth；　his　tone　suddenly　angry。　〃Isn't　it　hard　enough
  without　all　of　this？〃　He　grabbed　a　handful　of　lace　that　was　ruffled　on　my　thigh。　For　a　moment；　I　thought
  he　was　going　to　rip　it　from　the　seam。　Then　his　hand　relaxed。　〃It　doesn't　matter。　I　won't　make　any　deals
  with　you。〃
  〃I　want　to　goto　college。〃
  〃No；　you　don't。　And　there　is　nothing　that　is　worth　risking　your　life　again。　That's　worth　hurting　you。〃
  〃But　I　do　want　to　go。　Well；　it's　not　college　as　much　as　it's　that　I　want—I　want　to　be　human　a　little　while
  longer。〃
  He　closed　his　eyes　and　exhaled　through　his　nose。　〃You　are　making　me　insane；　Bella。　Haven't　we　had　this
  argument　a　million　times；　you　always　begging　to　be　a　vampire　without　delay？〃
  〃Yes；　but。。。　well；　I　have　a　reason　to　be　human　that　I　didn't　have　before。〃
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  〃What's　that？〃
  〃Guess；〃　I　said；　and　I　dragged　myself　off　the　pillows　to　kiss　him。
  He　kissed　me　back；　but　not　in　a　way　that　made　me　think　I　was　winning。　It　was　more　like　he　was　being
  careful　not　to　hurt　my　feelings；　he　was　completely；　maddeningly　in　control　of　himself。　Gently；　he　pulled　me
  away　after　a　moment　and　cradled　me　against　his　chest。
  〃You　are　so　human；　Bella。　Ruled　by　your　hormones。〃　He　chuckled。
  〃That's　the　whole　point；　Edward。　I　like　this　part　of　being　human。　I　don't　want　to　give　it　up　yet。　I　don't
  want　to　wait　through　years　of　being　a　blood…crazed　newborn　for　some　part　of　this　to　come　back　to　me。〃
  I　yawned；　and　he　smiled。
  〃You're　tired。　Sleep；　love。〃　He　started　humming　the　lullaby　he'd　composed　for　me　when　we　first　met。
  〃I　wonder　why　I'm　so　tired；〃　I　muttered　sarcastically。　〃That　couldn't　be　part　of　your　scheme　or　anything。〃
  He　just　chuckled　once　and　went　back　to　humming。
  〃For　as　tired　as　I've　been；　you'd　think　I'd　sleep　better。〃
  The　song　broke　off。　〃You've　been　sleeping　like　the　dead；　Bella。　You　haven't　said　a　word　in　your　sleep
  since　we　got　here。　If　it　weren't　for　the　snoring；　I'd　worry　you　were　slipping　into　a　coma。〃
  I　ignored　the　snoring　jibe；　I　didn't　snore。　〃I　haven't　been　tossing？　That's　weird。　Usually　I'm　all　over　the
  bed　when　I'm　having　nightmares。　And　shouting。〃
  〃You've　been　having　nightmares？〃
  〃Vivid　ones。　They　make　me　so　tired。〃　I　yawned。　〃I　can't　believe　I　haven't　been　babbling　about　them　all
  night。〃
  〃What　are　they　about？〃
  〃Different　things—but　the　same；　you　know；　because　of　the　colors。〃
  〃Colors？〃
  〃It's　all　so　bright　and　real。　Usually；　when　I'm　dreaming；　I　know　that　I　am。　With　these；　I　don't　know　I'm
  asleep。　It　makes　them　scarier。〃
  He　sounded　disturbed　when　he　spoke　again。　〃What　is　frightening　you？〃
  I　shuddered　slightly。　〃Mostly　。。。〃　I　hesitated。
  〃Mostly？〃　he　prompted。
  I　wasn't　sure　why；　but　I　didn't　want　to　tell　him　about　the　child　in　my　recurring　nightmare；　there　was
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  something　private　about　that　particular　horror。　So；　instead　of　giving　him　the　full　description；　I　gave　him
  just　one　element。　Certainly　enough　to　frighten　me　or　anyone　else。
  〃The　Volturi；〃　I　whispered。
  He　hugged　me　tighter。　〃They　aren't　going　to　bother　us　anymore。　You'll　be　immortal　soon；　and　they'll　have
  no　reason。〃
  I　let　him　comfort　me；　feeling　a　little　guilty　that　he'd　misunderstood。　The　nightmares　weren't　like　that；
  exactly。　It　wasn't　that　I　was　afraid　for　myself—I　was　afraid　for　the　boy。
  He　wasn't　the　same　boy　as　that　first　dream—the　vampire　child　with　the　bloodred　eyes　who　sat　on　a　pile
  of　dead　people　I　loved。　This　boy　I'd　dreamed　of　four　times　in　the　last　week　was　definitely　human；　his
  cheeks　were　flushed　and　his　wide　eyes　were　a　soft　green。　But　just　like　the　other　child；　he　shook　with　fear
  and　desperation　as　the　Volturi　closed　in　on　us。
  In　this　dream　that　was　both　new　and　old；　I　simply　had　to　protect　the　unknown　child。　There　was　no　other
  option。　At　the　same　time；　I　knew　that　I　would　fail。
  He　saw　the　desolation　on　my　face。　〃What　can　I　do　to　help？〃
  I　shook　it　off。　〃They're　just　dreams；　Edward。〃
  〃Do　you　want　me　to　sing　to　you？　Ill　sing　all　night　if　it　will　keep　the　bad　dreams　away。〃
  〃They're　not　all　bad。　Some　are　nice。　So。。。　colorful。　Underwater；　with　the　fish　and　the　coral。　It　all　seems
  like　it's　really　happening—I　don't　know　that　I'm　dreaming。　Maybe　this　island　is　the　problem。　It's　really
  bright　here。〃
  〃Do　you　want　to　go　home？〃
  〃No。　No；　not　yet。　Can't　we　stay　awhile　longer？〃
  〃We　can　stay　as　long　as　you　want；　Bella；〃　he　promised　me。
  〃When　does　the　semester　start？　I　wasn't　paying　attention　before。〃
  He　sighed。　He　may　have　started　humming　again；　too；　but　I　was　under　before　I　could　be　sure。
  Later；　when　I　awoke　in　the　dark；　it　was　with　shock。　The　dream　had　been　so　very　real。。。　so　vivid；　so
  sensory。。。。　I　gasped　aloud；　now；　disoriented　by　the　dark　room。　Only　a　second　ago；　it　seemed；　I　had　been
  under　the　brilliant　sun。
  〃Bella？〃　Edward　whispered；　his　arms　tight　around　me；　shaking　me　gently。　〃Are　you　all　right；　sweetheart？〃
  〃Oh；〃　I　gasped　again。　Just　a　dream。　Not　real。　To　my　utter　astonishment；　tears　overflowed　from　my　eyes
  without　warning；　gushing　down　my　face。
  〃Bella！〃　he　said—louder；　alarmed　now。　〃What's　wrong？〃　He　wiped　the　tears　from　my　hot　cheeks　with
  cold；　frantic　fingers；　but　others　followed。