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Fat lot of good it will do her； Jessica went on。 don t know why Eric is staring so much or Mike。 She s really not even pretty。 I She winced mentally on the last name。 Her new infatuation； the generically popular Mike Newton； was pletely oblivious to her。 Apparently； he was not as oblivious to the new girl。 Like the child with the shiny object again。 This put a mean edge to Jessica s thoughts； though she was outwardly cordial to the newer as she explained to her the monly held knowledge about my family。 The new student must have asked about us。 Everyone s looking at me today； too； Jessica thought smugly in an aside。 Isn t it lucky Bella had two classes with me I ll bet Mike will want to ask me what she s I tried to block the inane chatter out of my head before the petty and the trivial could drive me mad。 Jessica Stanley is giving the new Swan girl all the dirty laundry on the Cullen clan； I murmured to Emmett as a distraction。 He chuckled under his breath。 I hope she s making it good； he thought。 Not an ounce Rather unimaginative； actually。 Just the barest hint of scandal。 of horror。 I m a little disappointed。 And the new girl？ Is she disappointed in the gossip as well？ I listened to hear what this new girl； Bella； thought of Jessica s story。 What did she see when she looked at the strange； chalkyskinned family that was universally avoided？ It was sort of my responsibility to know her reaction。 I acted as a lookout； for lack of a better word； for my family。 To protect us。 If anyone ever grew suspicious； I could give us early warning and an easy retreat。 It happened occasionally some human with an active imagination would see in us the characters of a book or a movie。 Usually they got it wrong； but it was better to move on somewhere new than to risk scrutiny。 Very； very rarely； someone would guess right。 We didn t give them a chance to test their hypothesis。 We simply disappeared； to bee no more than a frightening memory I heard nothing； though I listened close beside where Jessica s frivolous internal monologue continued to gush。 It was as if there was no one sitting beside her。 How peculiar； had the girl moved？ That didn t seem likely； as Jessica was still babbling to her。 I looked up to check； feeling offbalance。 Checking on what my extra hearing could tell me it wasn t something I ever had to do。 Again； my gaze locked on those same wide brown eyes。 She was sitting right where she had been before； and looking at us； a natural thing to be doing； I supposed； as Jessica was still regaling her with the local gossip about the Cullens。 Thinking about us； too； would be natural。 But I couldn t hear a whisper。 Inviting warm red stained her cheeks as she looked down； away from the embarrassing gaffe of getting caught staring at a stranger。 It was good that Jasper was still gazing out the window。 I didn t like to imagine what that easy pooling of blood would do to his control。
The emotions had been as clear on her face as if they were spelled out in words across her forehead： surprise； as she unknowingly absorbed the signs of the subtle differences between her kind and mine； curiosity； as she listened to Jessica s tale； and something more fascination？ It wouldn t be the first time。 We were beautiful to them； our intended prey。 Then； finally； embarrassment as I caught her staring at me。 And yet； though her thoughts had been so clear in her odd eyes odd； because of the depth to them； brown eyes often seemed flat in their darkness I could hear nothing but silence from the place she was sitting。 Nothing at all。 I felt a moment of unease。 This was nothing I d ever encountered before。 Was there something wrong with me？ I felt exactly the same as I always did。 Worried； I listened harder。 All the voices I d been blocking were suddenly shouting in my head。 wonder what music she likes maybe I could mention that new CD Mike Newton was thinking； two tables away fixated on Bella Swan。 Look at him staring at her。 Isn t it enough that he has half the girls in school waiting for him to Eric Yorkie was thinking sulfurous thoughts； also revolving around the girl。 so disgusting。 You d think she was famous or something Even Edward Cullen； staring Lauren Mallory was so jealous that her face； by all rights； should be dark jade in color。 And Jessica； flaunting her new best friend。 What a joke Vitriol continued to spew from the girl s thoughts。 I bet everyone has asked her that。 But I d like to talk to her。 more original question Ashley Dowling mused。 maybe she ll be in my Spanish June Richardson hoped。 I ll think of a tons left to do tonight！ Trig； and the English test。 I hope my mom Angela Weber； a quiet girl； whose thoughts were unusually kind； was the only one at the table who wasn t obsessed with this Bella。 I could hear them all； hear every insignificant thing they were thinking as it passed through their minds。 But nothing at all from the new student with the deceptively municative eyes。 And； of course； I could hear what the girl said when she spoke to Jessica。 I didn t have to read minds to be able to hear her low； clear voice on the far side of the long room。 Which one is the boy with the reddish brown hair？ I heard her ask； sneaking a look at me from the corner of her eye； only to look quickly away when she saw that I was still staring。 If I d had time to hope that hearing the sound of her voice would help me pinpoint the tone of her thoughts； lost somewhere where I couldn t access them； I was instantly disappointed。 Usually； people s thoughts came to them in a similar pitch as their physical voices。 But this quiet； shy voice was unfamiliar； not one of the hundreds of thoughts bouncing around the room； I was sure of that。 Entirely new。 Oh； good luck； idiot！ Jessica thought before answering the girl s question。
That s Edward。 He s gorgeous； of course； but don t waste your time。 He doesn t date。 Apparently none of the girls here are goodlooking enough for him。 She sniffed。 I turned my head away to hide my smile。 Jessica and her classmates had no idea how lucky they were that none of them particularly appealed to me。 Beneath the transient humor； I felt a strange impulse； one I did not clearly understand。 It had something to do with the vicious edge to Jessica s thoughts that the new girl was unaware of I felt the strangest urge to step in between them； to shield this Bella Swan from the darker workings of Jessica s mind。 What an odd thing to feel。 Trying to ferret out the motivations behind the impulse； I examined the new girl one more time。 Perhaps it was just some long buried protective instinct the strong for the weak。 This girl looked more fragile than her new classmates。 Her skin was so translucent it was hard to believe it offered her much defense from the outside world。 I could see the rhythmic pulse of blood through her veins under the clear； pale membrane But I should not concentrate on that。 I was good at this life I d chosen； but I was just as thirsty as Jasper and there was no point in inviting temptation。 There was a faint crease between her eyebrows that she seemed unaware of。 It was unbelievable frustrating！ I could clearly see that it was a strain for her to sit there； to make conversation with strangers； to be the center of attention。 I could sense her shyness from the way she held her fraillooking shoulders； slightly hunched； as if she was expecting a rebuff at any moment。 And yet I could only sense； could only see； could only imagine。 There was nothing but silence from the very unexceptional human girl。 I could hear nothing。 Why？ Shall we？ Rosalie murmured； interrupting my focus。 I looked away from the girl with a sense of relief。 I didn t want to continue to fail at this it irritated me。 And I didn t want to develop any interest in her hidden thoughts simply because they were hidden from me。 No doubt； when I did decipher her thoughts and I would find a way to do so they would be just as petty and trivial as any human s thoughts。 Not worth the effort I would expend to reach them。 So； is the new one afraid of us yet？ Emmett asked； still waiting for my response to his question before。 I shrugged。 He wasn t interested enough to press for a more information。 should I be interested。 We got up from the table and walked out of the cafete