 . . . and I just got accepted to the University of Alaska Southeast today. Edward turned his face slightly to the side so that he could wink at me. I stifled a giggle.

Harvard? Dartmouth? Charlie mumbled, unable to conceal his awe. Well thats pretty . . . thats something. Yeah, but the University of Alaska . . . you wouldnt really consider that when you could go Ivy League. I mean, your father would want you to . . .

Carlisles always fine with whatever I choose to do, Edward told him serenely.

Hmph.

Guess what, Edward? I asked in a bright voice, playing along.

What, Bella?

I pointed to the thick envelope on the counter. I just gotmy acceptance to the University of Alaska!

Congratulations! He grinned. What a coincidence.

Charlies eyes narrowed and he glared back and forth between the two of us. Fine, he muttered after a minute. Im going to go watch the game, Bella. Nine-thirty.

That was his usual parting command.

Er, Dad? Remember the very recent discussion about my freedom . . . ?

He sighed. Right. Okay,ten -thirty. You still have a curfew on school nights.

Bellas no longer grounded? Edward asked. Though I knew he wasnt really surprised, I couldnt detect any false note to the sudden excitement in his voice.

Conditionally, Charlie corrected through his teeth. Whats it to you?

I frowned at my dad, but he didnt see.

Its just good to know, Edward said. Alice has been itching for a shopping partner, and Im sure Bella would love to see some city lights. He smiled at me.

But Charlie growled, No! and his face flushed purple.

Dad! Whats the problem?

He made an effort to unclench his teeth. I dont want you going to Seattle right now.

Huh?

I told you about that story in the paper  theres some kind of gang on a killing spree in Seattle and I want you to steer clear, okay?

I rolled my eyes. Dad, theres a better chance that Ill get struck by lightning than that the one day Im in Seattle 

No, thats fine, Charlie, Edward said, interrupting me. I didnt mean Seattle. I was thinking Portland, actually. I wouldnt have Bella in Seattle, either. Of course not.

I looked at him in disbelief, but he had Charlies newspaper in his hands and he was reading the front page intently.

He must have been trying to appease my father. The idea of being in danger from even the most deadly of humans while I was with Alice or Edward was downright hilarious.

It worked. Charlie stared at Edward for one second more, and then shrugged. Fine. He stalked off toward the living room, in a bit of a hurry now  maybe he didnt want to miss tip-off.

I waited till the TV was on, so that Charlie wouldnt be able to hear me.

What , I started to ask.

Hold on, Edward said without looking up from the paper. His eyes stayed focused on the page as he pushed the first application toward me across the table. I think you can recycle your essays for this one. Same questions.

Charlie must still be listening. I sighed and started to fill out the repetitive information: name, address, social. . . . After a few minutes I glanced up, but Edward was now staring pensively out the window. As I bent my head back to my work, I noticed for the first time the name of the school.

I snorted and shoved the papers aside.

Bella?

Be serious, Edward.Dartmouth ?

Edward lifted the discarded application and laid it gently in front of me again. I think youd like New Hampshire, he said. Theres a full complement of night courses for me, and the forests are very conveniently located for the avid hiker. Plentiful wildlife. He pulled out the crooked smile he knew I couldnt resist.

I took a deep breath through my nose.

Ill let you pay me back, if that makes you happy, he promised. If you want, I can charge you interest.

Like I could even get in without some enormous bribe. Or was that part of the loan? The new Cullen wing of the library? Ugh. Why are we having this discussion again?

Will you just fill out the application, please, Bella? It wont hurt you to apply.

My jaw flexed. You know what? I dont think I will.

I reached for the papers, planning to crumple them into a suitable shape for lobbing at the trashcan, but they were already gone. I stared at the empty table for a moment, and then at Edward. He didnt appear to have moved, but the application was probably already tucked away in his jacket.

What are you doing? I demanded.

I sign your name better than you do yourself. Youve already written the essays.

Youre going way overboard with this, you know. I whispered on the off chance that Charlie wasnt completely lost in his game. I really dont need to apply anywhere else. Ive been accepted in Alaska. I can almost afford the first semesters tuition. Its as good an alibi as any. Theres no need to throw away a bunch of money, no matter whose it is.

A pained looked tightened his face. Bella 

Dont start. I agree that I need to go through the motions for Charlies sake, but we both know Im not going to be in any condition to go to school next fall. To be anywhere near people.

My knowledge of those first few years as a new vampire was sketchy. Edward had never gone into details  it wasnt his favorite subject  but I knew it wasnt pretty. Self-control was apparently an acquired skill. Anything more than correspondence school was out of the question.

I thought the timing was still undecided, Edward reminded me softly. You might enjoy a semester or two of college. There are a lot of human experiences youve never had.

Ill get to those afterward.

They wont behuman experiences afterward. You dont get a second chance at humanity, Bella.

I sighed. Youve got to be reasonable about the timing, Edward. Its just too dangerous to mess around with.

Theres no danger yet, he insisted.

I glared at him. No danger? Sure. I only had a sadistic vampire trying to avenge her mates death with my own, preferably through some slow and torturous method. Who was worried about Victoria? And, oh yeah, the Volturi  the vampire royal family with their small army of vampire warriors  who insisted that my heart stop beating one way or another in the near future, because humans werent allowed to know they existed. Right. No reason at all to panic.

Even with Alice keeping watch  Edward was relying on her uncannily accurate visions of the future to give us advance warning  it was insane to take chances.

Besides, Id already won this argument. The date for my transformation was tentatively set for shortly after my graduation from high school, only a handful of weeks away.

A sharp jolt of unease pierced my stomach as I realized how short the time really was. Of course this change was necessary  and the key to what I wanted more than everything else in the world put together  but I was deeply conscious of Charlie sitting in the other room enjoying his game, just like every other night. And my mother, Rene, far away in sunny Florida, still pleading with me to spend the summer on the beach with her and her new husband. And Jacob, who, unlike my parents, would know exactly what was going on when I disappeared to some distant school. Even if my parents didnt grow suspicious for a long time, even if I could put off visits with excuses about travel expenses or study loads or illnesses, Jacob would know the truth.

For a moment, the idea of Jacobs certain revulsion overshadowed every other pain.

Bella, Edward murmured, his face twisting when he read the distress in mine. Theres no hurry. I wont let anyone hurt you. You can take all the time you need.

I want to hurry, I whispered, smiling weakly, trying to make a joke of it. I want to be a monster, too.

His teeth clenched; he spoke through them. You have no idea what youre saying. Abruptly, he flung the damp newspaper onto the table in between us. His finger stabbed the headline on the front page:

DEATH TOLL ON THE RISE, POLICE FEAR GANG ACTIVITY

What does that have to do w