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Bella brings two blank notebooks to school the next day. Her old one is safely computerized and boxed up with its predecessors.
At lunch, she sits with Angela; Jessica and Eric and Lauren sit at the same table but mostly talk to each other, and Mike is nowhere to be seen.
Bella is just about on time to gym, thanks to an overnight icing that means she has to pick her way with extreme care across the slippery grass or the slick sidewalks. The second time she falls down, she gives up on attempting any dignity at all, and, cradling her thwacked elbow, scoots the rest of the way to the gym on her rear. This leaves her with damp jeans but no further injuries, and they were a little damp anyway from the falls.
She doesn't have time to do more than smile and wave at Alice on her way to get her mat and get out of the way of careening balls. She spends the class doing the subset of her safe activities that won't stress her elbow.
self_composed
self_composed
Bella makes it to the car - walking the final stretch with the intervening cars as supports - without falling over. She kicks her front tire until the slush is mostly off her boots, and gets in.
She again waits until Alice is buckled in before going anywhere.
She again waits until Alice is buckled in before going anywhere.
self_composed
Bella drives with care, although Forks of necessity is pretty good about plowing and salting. "Apart from it usually being father-infested and this being a good opportunity, is there anything particularly cool to do in your house besides inspect all the pretty things in it? I did that one time already."
edgeofyourseat
Father-infested. Good one. He laughs.
"We didn't actually see the whole basement," he offers. "Or my room. But my room might be boring, I dunno."
"We didn't actually see the whole basement," he offers. "Or my room. But my room might be boring, I dunno."
edgeofyourseat
"She also skipped hers and Dad's. And Hilary's." He brightens a little. "Ooh, we can help Hilary cook, would that be fun?"
self_composed
Bella hums happily to herself. "My dad's having Hilary over on their coinciding day off next week. I think he intends to teach her to fish."
self_composed
"Fishing is dull as a poorly maintained guillotine during the French Revolution," says Bella. "But perhaps they'll have fun chatting."
edgeofyourseat
Alice rings the doorbell; his mother answers with suspicious promptness.
"Come in, come in!" she says, beaming at both of them, no less formally dressed than she was last time.
"Come in, come in!" she says, beaming at both of them, no less formally dressed than she was last time.
edgeofyourseat
"It's nice to see you again." She steps back out of the doorway to let them in. "The man of the house is away on business, so you two have the run of the place," she adds, and winks.
...Alice laughs.
...Alice laughs.
edgeofyourseat
"Don't let me stop you," Mrs. Hammond says serenely, and sails away up the stairs.
Alice watches her go, shaking his head.
"I have known her my whole life and I still have no idea what it's like in there," he says. "So, basement or book?"
Alice watches her go, shaking his head.
"I have known her my whole life and I still have no idea what it's like in there," he says. "So, basement or book?"