She looked at me like she was prepared to answer this question, "I have no idea, he knows I've been meaning to do the laundry. Maybe he'll think I fell in the washer."

She was tempting me to seize her and run for it! I scowled at her and she attempted to be angry by scowling back. Just like always, she was just a vicious kitten. She scowled at me for a few more moments and then her expression changed. She looked thoughtful. What was she thinking now?

"What are you hunting tonight?" she inquired like she was asking me to pass the salt. It was so causal, like she was asking about the weather or what was on TV.

"Whatever we find in the park. We aren't going far." I mused.

"Why are you going with Alice?" she asked with obvious curiosity.

I considered this for a moment. She talked about my clandestine existence like it was normal. I mulled things over; how to tell her that it was Alice that was going because most of my family members were... un-approving of my newly found obsession with a human girl.

"She is the most... supportive." I frowned, thinking about her visions of vampire Bella.

You know it is because I am your favorite sister. Alice thought. Great, she was listening.

Bella looked up at me with her beautiful chocolate eyes, "And the others?" she asked apprehensively, "What are they?"

Pissed off that is what we are. Rosalie thought.

Emmet looked at Rosalie then and followed her stare. I try to rein her in bro, but she is feisty. That's Rosalie for ya. Emmett thought.

I wrinkled my brow and replied the best way I could without hurting her feelings, "Incredulous, for the most part."

I watched her gaze go from my face to over her shoulder. I watched my family with disbelief. They were staring off in different directions, acting like they weren't listening. I couldn't be so lucky.

"They don't like me," she guessed.

She wouldn't think that Edward if you would introduce us. You know Bella and I are going to be best friends. You know how much I love her. Alice mused.

"That's not it," I disagreed.

Liar, Rosalie thought.

"They don't understand why I can't leave you alone." I said.

Damn right I can't understand. She's a human. Rosalie thought with disgust.

It's true bro, I can't really understand the appeal, but if it makes you happy then I got your back. Emmett contemplated.

"Neither do I, for that matter." Bella added on top of the already massive amounts of thoughts coming from my family over this conversation.

I couldn't accept that she would consider something like that. Didn't she know that her beauty was one of a kind, inside and out? I've never meet a being quite like her before. I shook my head and rolled my eyes towards the ceiling, partially for her answer, and partially answering my family's thoughts. I looked back at Bella, "I told you - you don't see yourself clearly at all. You're not like anyone I've ever known. You fascinate me."

She glared at me with her furious kitten face again. I smiled at her face, "Having the advantages I do," I mused, touching my forehead, "I have a better than average grasp of human nature. People are predictable. But you... you never do what I expect. You always take me by surprise."

She looked away then, and back at my family. She looked... embarrassed? Upset? I couldn't tell, "That part is easy enough to explain," I added. I wished she would look my direction, "But there's more... and it's not so easy to put into words-"

What the hell are you thinking of saying to her, Edward? Rosalie then turned and glared at Bella. What is so special about this girl? Huh? I don't see it. She is so breakable and human. You just keep her around because she smells like the greatest snack you'll ever have! Rosalie continued to give Bella a fierce look. If you take a bite out of her this will hurt our whole family, you know that!

I had it with her and I snarled under my breath.

Whatever, nitwit. Rosalie turned her head then.

Bella looked back at me then and I was relieved to see her face. She looked... frightened? Was that possible? Did Bella even know what fear was? I was going to have to give Rosalie a good scolding later.

"I'm sorry about that. She's just worried. You see... it's dangerous for more than just me if, after spending so much time with you so publicly..." I didn't want to finish my sentence. I was hoping she wouldn't ask to hear the rest, but of course, she would want to know.

"If?"

"If this ends... badly." I put my head in my hands and tried to push the thought out of my head. Maybe she will finally see that this is serious. That I could... gulp... kill her at any moment. I could breathe her delectable scent in and one day the monster might break free from the darkness I put him in and decide to taste the delicious blood that I could see pulsing on her neck. I heard her drop her hand on the table. I kept trying to push those thoughts away, but then I took in a large gulp of her rich aroma. Instantly the monster reared up.

I heard Bella's shaky voice then, "And you have to leave now?"

The monster retreated then. "Yes," wait, she wasn't.... scared? She still didn't want me to leave? I relaxed and couldn't help but look delighted, "It's probably for the best. We still have fifteen minutes of that wretched movie left to endure in Biology - I don't think I could take any more."

Bella gave me a look like she completely understood what I meant, she must have been feeling the same way about the dull movie, not like I was watching it anyways.

It's time to meet Bella! Yay! Alice trilled in her mind. I could see the back of my head from her vision as she skipped over to the table.

"Alice," I said.

"Edward," she answered, and added, this is where you introduce us, in her thoughts.

"Alice, Bella - Bella, Alice," I introduced them, hoping that Alice won't start bugging me every five minutes about hanging out with her. I only barely obtained Bella, and I didn't want Alice to take all her time away from me.

"Hello, Bella," Alice smiled, "It's nice to finally meet you."

Once again I saw a vision of her and Bella arm in arm, smiling at each other, Bella's eyes bright, crimson red. I shot a dark look at her.

"Hi, Alice," Bella whispered shyly.

"Are you ready?" Alice asked me. I didn't want to leave Bella, but I was more than happy to remove Alice from her, "Nearly, I'll meet you at the car."