stand。　Now…　tell　me　something。〃
  〃What？〃　I　asked；　unwilling。
  〃If　you　could　have　anything　in　the　world；　anything　at　all；　what　would　it　be？〃
  I　could　feel　the　skepticism　in　my　eyes。　〃You。〃
  He　shook　his　head　impatiently。　〃Something　you　don't　already　have。〃
  I　wasn't　sure　where　he　was　trying　to　lead　me；　so　I　thought　carefully　before　I　answered。　I　came　up　with
  something　that　was　both　true；　and　also　probably　impossible。
  〃I　would　want…　Carlisle　not　to　have　to　do　it。　I　would　want　you　to　change　me。〃
  I　watched　his　reaction　warily；　expecting　more　of　the　fury　I'd　seen　at　his　house。　I　was　surprised　that　his
  expression　didn't　change。　It　was　still　calculating；　thoughtful。
  〃What　would　you　be　willing　to　trade　for　that？〃
  I　couldn't　believe　my　ears。　I　gawked　at　his　composed　face　and　blurted　out　the　answer　before　I　could
  think　about　it。
  〃Anything。〃
  He　smiled　faintly；　and　then　pursed　his　lips。　〃Five　years？〃
  My　face　twisted　into　an　expression　somewhere　between　chagrin　and　horror。
  〃You　said　anything；〃　he　reminded　me。
  〃Yes；　but…　you'll　use　the　time　to　find　a　way　out　of　it。　I　have　to　strike　while　the　iron　is　hot。　Besides；　it's
  just　too　dangerous　to　be　human—for　me；　at　least。　So；　anything　but　that。〃
  He　frowned。　〃Three　years？〃
  〃No！〃
  〃Isn't　it　worth　anyrhing　to　you　at　all？　〃
  I　thought　about　how　much　I　wanted　this。　Better　to　keep　a　poker　face；　I　decided；　and　not　let　him　know
  how　very　much　that　was。　It　would　give　me　more　leverage。　〃Six　months？〃
  He　rolled　his　eyes。　〃Not　good　enough。〃
  〃One　year；　then；〃　I　said。　〃That's　my　limit。〃
  〃At　least　give　me　two。〃
  〃No　way。　Nineteen　I'll　do。　But　I'm　not　going　anywhere　near　twenty。　If　you're　staying　in　your　teens
  forever；　then　so　am　I。〃
  He　thought　for　a　minute。　〃All　right。　Forget　time　limits。　If　you　want　me　to　be　the　one—then　you'll　just　have
  to　meet　one　condition。〃
  〃Condition？〃　My　voice　went　flat。　〃What　condition？〃
  His　eyes　were　cautious—he　spoke　slowly。　〃Marry　me　first。〃
  I　stared　at　him；　waiting…　〃Okay。　What's　the　punch　line？〃
  He　sighed。　〃You're　wounding　my　ego；　Bella。　I　just　proposed　to　you；　and　you　think　it's　a　joke。〃
  〃Edward；　please　be　serious。〃
  〃I　am　one　hundred　percent　serious。〃　He　gazed　at　me　with　no　hint　of　humor　in　his　face。
  〃Oh；　c'mon；〃　I　said；　an　edge　of　hysteria　in　my　voice。　〃I'm　only　eighteen。〃
  〃Well；　I'm　nearly　a　hundred　and　ten。　It's　time　I　settled　down。〃
  I　looked　away；　out　the　dark　window；　trying　to　control　the　panic　before　it　gave　me　away。
  〃Look；　marriage　isn't　exactly　that　high　on　my　list　of　priorities；　you　know？　It　was　sort　of　the　kiss　of　death
  for　Renee　and　Charlie。〃
  〃Interesting　choice　of　words。〃
  〃You　know　what　I　mean。〃
  He　inhaled　deeply。　〃Please　don't　tell　me　that　you're　afraid　of　the　commitment；〃　his　voice　was　disbelieving；
  and　I　understood　what　he　meant。
  〃That's　not　it　exactly；〃　I　hedged。　〃I'm…　afraid　of　Renee。　She　has　some　really　intense　opinions　on　getting
  married　before　you're　thirty。〃
  〃Because　she'd　rather　you　became　one　of　the　eternal　damned　than　get　married。〃　He　laughed　darkly。
  〃You　think　you're　joking。〃
  〃Bella；　if　you　compare　the　level　of　commitment　between　a　marital　union　as　opposed　to　bartering　your　soul
  in　exchange　for　an　eternity　as　a　vampire…〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃If　you're　not　brave　enough　to　marry　me；
  then—〃
  〃Well；〃　I　interrupted。　〃What　if　I　did？　What　if　I　told　you　to　take　me　to　Vegas　now？　Would　I　be　a　vampire
  in　three　days？〃
  He　smiled；　his　teeth　flashing　in　the　dark。　〃Sure；〃　he　said；　calling　my　bluff。　〃I'll　get　my　car。〃
  〃Dammit。〃　I　muttered。　〃I'll　give　you　eighteen　months。〃
  〃No　deal；〃　he　said；　grinning。　〃I　like　this　condition。〃
  〃Fine。　I'll　have　Carlisle　do　it　when　I　graduate。〃
  〃If　that's　what　you　really　want。〃　He　shrugged；　and　his　smile　became　absolutely　angelic。
  〃You're　impossible；〃　I　groaned。　〃A　monster。〃
  He　chuckled。　〃Is　that　why　you　won't　marry　me？〃
  I　groaned　again。
  He　leaned　toward　me；　his　night…dark　eyes　melted　and　smoldered　and　shattered　my　concentration。　〃
  Please；　Bella？〃　he　breathed。
  I　forgot　how　to　breathe　for　a　moment。　When　I　recovered；　I　shook　my　head　quickly；　trying　to　clear　my
  suddenly　clouded　mind。
  〃Would　this　have　gone　better　if　I　d　had　time　to　get　a　ring。'〃
  〃No！　No　rings！〃　I　very　nearly　snouted。
  〃Now　you've　done　it；〃　he　whispered。
  〃Oops。〃
  〃Charlie's　getting　up；　I'd　better　leave；〃　Edward　said　with　resignation。
  My　heart　stopped　beating。
  He　gauged　my　expression　for　a　second。　〃Would　it　be　childish　of　me　to　hide　in　your　closet；　then？〃
  〃No；〃　I　whispered　eagerly。　〃Stay。　Please。〃
  Edward　smiled　and　disappeared。
  I　seethed　in　the　darkness　as　I　waited　for　Charlie　to　check　on　me。　Edward　knew　exactly　what　he　was
  doing；　and　I　was　willing　to　bet　that　all　the　injured　surprise　was　part　of　the　ploy。　Of　course；　I　still　had　the
  Carlisle　option；　but　now　that　I　knew　there　was　a　chance　that　Edward　would　change　me　himself；　I　wanted
  it　bad。　He　was　such　a　cheater。
  My　door　cracked　open。
  〃Morning；　Dad。〃
  〃Oh；　hey；　Bella。〃　He　sounded　embarrassed　at　getting　caught。　〃I　didn't　know　you　were　awake。〃
  〃Yeah。　I've　just　been　waiting　ior　you　to　wake　up　so　I　could　take　a　shower。〃　I　started　to　get　up。
  〃Hold　on；〃　Charlie　said；　flipping　the　light　on。　I　blinked　in　the　sudden　brightness；　and　carefully　kept　my
  eyes　away　from　the　closet。　〃Let's　talk　for　a　minute　first。〃
  I　couldn't　control　my　grimace。　I'd　forgotten　to　ask　Alice　for　a　good　excuse。
  〃You　know　you're　in　trouble。〃
  〃Yeah；　I　know。〃
  〃I　just　about　went　crazy　these　last　three　days。　I　come　home　from　Harry's　funeral；　and　you're　gone。
  Jacob　could　only　tell　me　that　you'd　run　off　with　Alice　Cullen；　and　that　he　thought　you　were　in　trouble。
  You　didn't　leave　me　a　number；　and　you　didn't　call。　I　didn't　know　where　you　were　or　when—or　if—you
  were　coming　back。　Do　you　have　any　idea　how…　how…〃　He　couldn't　finish　the　sentence。　He　sucked　in　a
  sharp　breath　and　moved　on。　〃Can　you　give　me　one　reason　why　I　shouldn't　ship　you　off　to　Jacksonville
  this　second？〃
  My　eyes　narrowed。　So　it　was　going　to　be　threats；　was　it？　Two　could　play　at　that　game。　I　sat　up；　pulling
  the　quilt　around　me。　〃Because　I　won't　go。〃
  〃Now　just　one　minute；　young　lady—〃
  〃Look；　Dad；　I　accept　complete　responsibility　for　my　actions；　and　you　have　the　right　to　ground　me　for　as
  long　as　you　want。　I　will　also　do　all　the　chores　and　laundry　and　dishes　until　you　think　I've　learned　my
  lesson。　And　I　guess　you're　within　your　rights　if　you　want　to　kick　me　out；　too—but　that　won't　make　me　to
  go　to　Florida。〃
  His　face　turned　bright　red。　He　took　a　few　deep　breaths　before　he　answered。
  〃Would　you　like　to　explain　where　you've　been？〃
  Oh；　crap。　〃There　was…　an　emergency。〃
  He　raised　his　eyebrows　in　expectation　of　my　brilliant　explanation。
  I　filled　my　cheeks　with　air　and　then　blew　it　out　noisily。　〃I　don't　know　what　to　tell　you；　Dad。　It　was　mostly
  a　misunderstanding。　He　said；　she　said。　It　got　out　of　hand。〃
  He　waited　with　a　distrustful　expression。
  〃See；　Alice　told　Rosalie　about　me　jumping　off　the　cliff…〃　I　was　scrambling　frantically　to　make　this　work；
  to　keep　it　as　close　to　the　truth　as　possible　so　that　my　inability　to　lie　convincingly　would　not　undermine　the
  excuse；　but　before　I　could　go　on；　Charlie's　expression　reminded　me　that　he　didn't　know　arything　about
  thecliff。
  Major　oops。　As　if　I　wasn't　already　toast。
  〃I　guess　I　didn't　tell　you　about　that；〃　I　choked　out。　〃It　was　nothing。　Just　messing　around；　swimming　with
  Jake。　Anyway；　Rosalie　told　Edward；　and　he　was　upset。　She　sort　of　accidentally　made　it　sound　like　I　wa？
  trying　to　kill　myself　or　something。　He　wouldn't　answer　his　phone；　so　Alice　dragged　me　to…　L。A。；　to
  explain　in　person。〃　I　shrugged；　desperately　hoping　that　he　would　not　be　so　distracted　by　my　slip　that　he'd
  miss　the　brilliant　explanation　I'd　provided。
  Charlie's　face　was　frozen。　〃Were　you　trying　to　kill　yourself；　Bella？〃
  〃No；　of　course　not。　Just　having　fun　with　Jake。　Cliff　diving。　The　La　Push　kids　do　it　all　the　time。　Like　I　said；
  nothing。〃
  Charlie's　face　heated　up—from　frozen　to　hot　with　fury。　〃What's　it　to　Edward　Cullen　anyway？〃　he　barked。
  〃All　this　time；　he's　just　left　you　dangling　without　a　word—〃
  I　interrupted　him。　〃Another　misunderstanding。〃
  His　face　flushed　again。　〃So　is　he　back　then？〃
  〃I'm　not　sure　what　the　exact　plan　is。　I　think　they　all　are。〃
  He　shook　his　head；　the　vein　in　his　forehead　pulsing。　〃I　want　you　to　stay　away　from　him；　Bella。　I　don't　trust
  him。　He's　rotten　for　you。　I　won't　let　him　mess　you　up　like　that　again。〃
  〃Fine；〃　I　said　curtly。
  Charlie　rocked　back　onto　his　heels。　〃Oh。〃　He　scrambled　for　a　second；　exhaling　loudly　in　surprise。　〃I
  thought　you　were　going　to　be　difficult。〃
  〃I　am。〃　I　stared　straight　into　his　eyes。　〃I　meant；　'Fine；　I'll　move　out。'〃
  His　eyes　bulged；　his　face　turned　puce。　My　resolve　wavered　as　I　started　to　worry　about　his　health。　He
  was　no　younger　than　Harry…
  〃Dad；　I　don't　want　to　move　out；〃　I　said　in　a　softer　tone。　〃I　love　you。　I　know　you're　worried；　but　you　need
  to　trust　me　on　this。　And　you're　going　to　have　to　ease　up　on　Edward　if　you　w