〃I　think　it's　a　nice　idea。　You're　only　a　senior　once。　Might　as　well　document

the　experience。〃

〃How　many　times　have　you　been　a　senior？〃

〃That's　different。〃

We　reached　Edward　then；　and　he　held　out　his　hand　for　mine。　I　took　it　eagerly；

forgetting；　for　a　moment；

my　glum　mood。　His　skin　was；　as　always；　smooth；　hard；　and　very　cold。　He　gave　my

fingers　a　gentle

squeeze。　I　looked　into　his　liquid　topa2　eyes；　and　my　heart　gave　a　not…quite…

so…gentle　squeeze　of　its　own。

Hearing　the　stutter　in　my　heartbeats；　he　smiled　again。

He　lifted　his　free　hand　and　traced　one　cool　fingertip　around　the　outside　of　my

lips　as　he　spoke。　〃So；　as

discussed；　I　am　not　allowed　to　wish　you　a　happy　birthday；　is　that　correct？〃

〃Yes。　That　is　correct。〃　I　could　never　quite　mimic　the　flow　of　his　perfect；

formal　articulation。　It　was

something　that　could　only　be　picked　up　in　an　earlier　century。

〃Just　checking。〃　He　ran　his　hand　through　his　tousled　bronze　hair。　〃You　might

have　changed　your　mind。

Most　people　seem　to　enjoy　things　like　birthdays　and　gifts。〃

Alice　laughed；　and　the　sound　was　all　silver；　a　wind　chime。　〃Of　course　you'll

enjoy　it。　Everyone　is

supposed　to　be　nice　to　you　today　and　give　you　your　way；　Bella。　What's　the

worst　that　could　happen？〃

She　meant　it　as　a　rhetorical　question。

〃Getting　older；〃　I　answered　anyway；　and　my　voice　was　not　as　steady　as　I　wanted

it　to　be。

Beside　me；　Edward's　smile　tightened　into　a　hard　line。

〃Eighteen　isn't　very　old；〃　Alice　said。　〃Don't　women　usually　wait　till　they're

twenty…nine　to　get　upset　over

birthdays？〃

〃It's　older　than　Edward；〃　I　mumbled。

He　sighed。