asked　you　to　do　me　a　favor　once　you　were　immortal？〃
  That　rang　a　dim　bell。　I　sifted　through　the　blurry　human　conversations。　After　a　moment；　I　remembered
  and　I　gasped；　〃Oh！〃
  Alice　trilled　a　long；　pealing　laugh。　Jacob　poked　his　head　around　the　corner；　his　mouth　stuffed　with　food。
  〃What？〃　Emmett　growled。
  〃Really？〃　I　asked　Edward。
  〃Trust　me；〃　he　said。
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  I　took　a　deep　breath。　〃Emmett；　how　do　you　feel　about　a　little　bet？〃
  He　was　on　his　feet　at　once。　〃Awesome。　Bring　it。〃
  I　bit　my　lip　for　a　second。　He　was　just　so　huge。
  〃Unless　you're　too　afraid。。。　？〃　Emmett　suggested。
  I　squared　my　shoulders。　〃You。　Me。　Arm…wrestling。　Dining　room　table。　Now。〃
  Emmett's　grin　stretched　across　his　face。
  〃Er；　Bella；〃　Alice　said　quickly；　〃I　think　Esme　is　fairly　fond　of　that　table。　It's　an　antique。〃
  〃Thanks；〃　Esme　mouthed　at　her。
  〃No　problem；〃　Emmett　said　with　a　gleaming　smile。　〃Right　this　way；　Bella。〃
  I　followed　him　out　the　back；　toward　the　garage；　I　could　hear　all　the　others　trailing　behind。　There　was　a
  largish　granite　boulder　standing　up　out　of　a　tumble　of　rocks　near　the　river；　obviously　Emmett's　goal。
  Though　the　big　rock　was　a　little　rounded　and　irregular；　it　would　do　the　job。
  Emmett　placed　his　elbow　on　the　rock　and　waved　me　forward。
  I　was　nervous　again　as　I　watched　the　thick　muscles　in　Emmett's　arm　roll；　but　I　kept　my　face　smooth。
  Edward　had　promised　I　would　be　stronger　than　anyone　for　a　while。　He　seemed　very　confident　about　this；
  and　I　felt　strong。　That　strong？　I　wondered；　looking　at　Emmett's　biceps。　I　wasn't　even　two　days　old；
  though；　and　that　ought　to　count　for　something。　Unless　nothing　was　normal　about　me。　Maybe　I　wasn't　as
  strong　as　a　normal　newborn。　Maybe　that's　why　control　was　so　easy　for　me。
  I　tried　to　look　unconcerned　as　I　set　my　elbow　against　the　stone。
  〃Okay；　Emmett。　I　win；　and　you　cannot　say　one　more　word　about　my　sex　life　to　anyone；　not　even　Rose。
  No　allusions；　no　innuendos—no　nothing。〃
  His　eyes　narrowed。　〃Deal。　I　win；　and　it's　going　to　get　a　lot　worse。〃
  He　heard　my　breath　stop　and　grinned　evilly。　There　was　no　hint　of　bluff　in　his　eyes。
  〃You　gonna　back　down　so　easy；　little　sister？〃　Emmett　taunted。　〃Not　much　wild　about　you；　is　there？　I　bet
  that　cottage　doesn't　have　a　scratch。〃　He　laughed。　〃Did　Edward　tell　you　how　many　houses　Rose　and　I
  smashed？〃
  I　gritted　my　teeth　and　grabbed　his　big　hand。　〃One；　two—〃
  〃Three；〃　he　grunted；　and　shoved　against　my　hand。
  Nothing　happened。
  Oh；　I　could　feel　the　force　he　was　exerting。　My　new　mind　seemed　pretty　good　at　all　kinds　of　calculations；
  and　so　I　could　tell　that　if　he　wasn't　meeting　any　resistance；　his　hand　would　have　pounded　right　through　the
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  rock　without　difficulty。　The　pressure　increased；　and　I　wondered　randomly　if　a　cement　truck　doing　forty
  miles　an　hour　down　a　sharp　decline　would　have　similar　power。　Fifty　miles　an　hour？　Sixty？　Probably
  more。
  It　wasn't　enough　to　move　me。　His　hand　shoved　against　mine　with　crushing　force；　but　it　wasn't　unpleasant。
  It　felt　kind　of　good　in　a　weird　way。　I'd　been　so　very　careful　since　the　last　time　I　woke　up；　trying　so　hard
  not　to　break　things。　It　was　a　strange　relief　to　use　my　muscles。　To　let　the　strength　flow　rather　than
  struggling　to　restrain　it。
  Emmett　grunted；　his　forehead　creased　and　his　whole　body　strained　in　one　rigid　line　toward　the　obstacle
  of　my　unmoving　hand。　I　let　him　sweat—figuratively—for　a　moment　while　I　enjoyed　the　sensation　of　the
  crazy　force　running　through　my　arm。
  A　few　seconds；　though；　and　I　was　a　little　bored　with　it。　I　flexed；　Emmett　lost　an　inch。
  I　laughed。　Emmett　snarled　harshly　through　his　teeth。
  〃Just　keep　your　mouth　shut；〃　I　reminded　him；　and　then　I　smashed　his　hand　into　the　boulder。　A　deafening
  crack　echoed　off　the　trees。　The　rock　shuddered；　and　a　piece—about　an　eighth　of　the　mass—broke　off　at
  an　invisible　fault　line　and　crashed　to　the　ground。　It　fell　on　Emmett's　foot；　and　I　snickered。　I　could　hear
  Jacob's　and　Edward's　muffled　laughter。
  Emmett　kicked　the　rock　fragment　across　the　river。　It　sliced　a　young　maple　in　half　before　thudding　into
  the　base　of　a　big　fir；　which　swayed　and　then　fell　into　another　tree。
  〃Rematch。　Tomorrow。〃
  〃It's　not　going　to　wear　off　that　fast；〃　I　told　him。　〃Maybe　you　ought　to　give　it　a　month。〃
  Emmett　growled；　flashing　his　teeth。　〃Tomorrow。〃
  〃Hey；　whatever　makes　you　happy；　big　brother。〃
  As　he　turned　to　stalk　away；　Emmett　punched　the　granite；　shattering　off　an　avalanche　of　shards　and
  powder。　It　was　kind　of　neat；　in　a　childish　way。
  Fascinated　by　the　undeniable　proof　that　I　was　stronger　than　the　strongest　vampire　I'd　ever　known；　I
  placed　my　hand；　fingers　spread　wide；　against　the　rock。　Then　I　dug　my　fingers　slowly　into　the　stone；
  crushing　rather　than　digging；　the　consistency　reminded　me　of　hard　cheese。　I　ended　up　with　a　handful　of
  gravel。
  〃Cool；〃　I　mumbled。
  With　a　grin　stretching　my　face；　I　whirled　in　a　sudden　circle　and　karate…chopped　the　rock　with　the　side　of
  my　hand。　The　stone　shrieked　and　groaned　and—with　a　big　poof　of　dust—split　in　two。
  I　started　giggling。
  I　didn't　pay　much　attention　to　the　chuckles　behind　me　while　I　punched　and　kicked　the　rest　of　the　boulder
  into　fragments。　I　was　having　too　much　fun；　snickering　away　the　whole　time。　It　wasn't　until　I　heard　a　new
  little　giggle；　a　high…pitched　peal　of　bells；　that　I　turned　away　from　my　silly　game。
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  〃Did　she　just　laugh？〃
  Everyone　was　staring　at　Renesmee　with　the　same　dumbstruck　expression　that　must　have　been　on　my
  face。
  〃Yes；〃　Edward　said。
  〃Who　wasnt　laughing？〃　Jake　muttered；　rolling　his　eyes。
  〃Tell　me　you　didn't　let　go　a　bit　on　your　first　run；　dog；〃　Edward　teased；　no　antagonism　in　his　voice　at　all。
  〃That's　different；〃　Jacob　said；　and　I　watched　in　surprise　as　he　mock…punched　Edward's　shoulder。
  〃Bella's　supposed　to　be　a　grown…up。　Married　and　a　mom　and　all　that。　Shouldn't　there　be　more　dignity？〃
  Renesmee　frowned；　and　touched　Edward's　face。
  〃What　does　she　want？〃　I　asked。
  〃Less　dignity；〃　Edward　said　with　a　grin。　〃She　was　having　almost　as　much　fun　watching　you　enjoy　yourself
  as　I　was。〃
  〃Am　I　funny？〃　I　asked　Renesmee；　darting　back　and　reaching　for　her　at　the　same　time　that　she　reached
  for　me。　I　took　her　out　of　Edward's　arms　and　offered　her　the　shard　of　rock　in　my　hand。　〃You　want　to
  try？〃
  She　smiled　her　glittering　smile　and　took　the　stone　in　both　hands。　She　squeezed；　a　little　dent　forming
  between　her　eyebrows　as　she　concentrated。
  There　was　a　tiny　grinding　sound；　and　a　bit　of　dust。　She　frowned；　and　held　the　chunk　up　to　me。
  Til　get　it；〃　I　said；　pinching　the　stone　into　sand。
  She　clapped　and　laughed；　the　delicious　sound　of　it　made　us　all　join　in。
  The　sun　suddenly　burst　through　the　clouds；　shooting　long　beams　of　ruby　and　gold　across　the　ten　of　us；
  and　I　was　immediately　lost　in　the　beauty　of　my　skin　in　the　light　of　the　sunset。　Dazed　by　it。
  Renesmee　stroked　the　smooth　diamond…bright　facets；　then　laid　her　arm　next　to　mine。　Her　skin　had　just　a
  faint　luminosity；　subtle　and　mysterious。　Nothing　that　would　keep　her　inside　on　a　sunny　day　like　my
  glowing　sparkle。　She　touched　my　face；　thinking　of　the　difference　and　feeling　disgruntled。
  〃You're　the　prettiest；〃　I　assured　her。
  Tm　not　sure　I　can　agree　to　that；〃　Edward　said；　and　when　I　turned　to　answer　him；　the　sunlight　on　his　face
  stunned　me　into　silence。
  Jacob　had　his　hand　in　front　of　his　face；　pretending　to　shield　his　eyes　from　the　glare。　〃Freaky　Bella；〃　he
  commented。
  〃What　an　amazing　creature　she　is；〃　Edward　murmured；　almost　in　agreement；　as　if　Jacob's　comment　was
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  meant　as　a　compliment。　He　was　both　dazzling　and　dazzled。
  It　was　a　strange　feeling—not　surprising；　I　supposed；　since　everything　felt　strange　now—this　being　a
  natural　at　something。　As　a　human；　I'd　never　been　best　at　anything。　I　was　okay　at　dealing　with　Renee；　but
  probably　lots　of　people　could　have　done　better；　Phil　seemed　to　be　holding　his　own。　I　was　a　good
  student；　but　never　the　top　of　the　class。　Obviously；　I　could　be　counted　out　of　anything　athletic。　Not　artistic
  or　musical；　no　particular　talents　to　brag　of。　Nobody　ever　gave　away　a　trophy　for　reading　books。　After
  eighteen　years　of　mediocrity；　I　was　pretty　used　to　being　average。　I　realized　now　that　I'd　long　ago　given　up
  any　aspirations　of　shining　at　anything。　I　just　did　the　best　with　what