Alice scowled at the floor for a moment。 〃Well I guess I acted impulsively
today。 I probably shouldn't
have intruded。〃
I could feel the blood draining from my face。 My stomach dropped。 〃Don't go；
Alice；〃 I whispered。 My
fingers locked around the collar of her white shirt and I began to
hyperventilate。 〃Please don't leave me。〃
Her eyes opened wider。 〃All right；〃 she said； enunciating each word with slow
precision。 〃I'm not going
anywhere tonight。 Take a deep breath。〃
I tried to obey； though I couldn't quite locate my lungs。
She watched my face while I concentrated on my breathing。 She waited till I
was calmer to ment。
〃You look like hell； Bella。〃
〃I drowned today；〃 I reminded her。
〃It goes deeper than that。 You're a mess。〃
I flinched。 〃Look； I'm doing my best。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃It hasn't been easy。 I'm working on it。〃
She frowned。 〃I told him；〃 she said to herself。
〃Alice；〃 I sighed。 〃What did you think you were going to find？ I mean； besides
me dead？ Did you expect
to find me skipping around and whistling show tunes？ You know me better than
that。〃
〃I do。 But I hoped。〃
〃Then I guess I don't have the corner on the idiocy market。〃
The phone rang。
〃That has to be Charlie；〃 I said； staggering to my feet。 I grabbed Alice's
stone hand and dragged her with
me to the kitchen。 I wasn't about to let her out of my sight。
〃Charlie？〃 I answered the phone。
〃No； it's me；〃 Jacob said。
〃Jake！〃
Alice scrutinized my expression。
〃Just making sure you were still alive；〃 Jacob said sourly。
〃I'm fine。 I told you that it wasn't—〃
〃Yeah。 I