Witty, academic, friendly, and chipper. And noble - apparently she volunteered to be the odd one out so nobody else would have to go partnerless. And she dispenses chocolate at lunchtime. No wonder everyone likes her so much.

Well, Bella's not going to buck the common thread of appreciating Solvei, here.

How nice. Solvei does like to be appreciated.

"Those truffles were great," Bella remarks. "Well, at least the one I had was, for all I know the dark chocolate ones were involved in a horrible accident and now occasionally attempt to fight Superman in some appropriately gimmicky way, but you know."

"I'm proud of my truffles," says Solvei. "Want to learn how to make them? They're tricky, but fun."

"Sure! I didn't realize they were homemade."

"I am a woman of many talents."

"Does one need fancy candy-making equipment? My dad's kitchen leaves a lot to be desired."

"One doesn't technically need fancy candy-making equipment. I can bring everything, anyway. Unless you want to do it at my place, but Ghys makes such a production out of it if I'm having anybody over - I mean, requiring two days' notice so she can have a cleaning service in to clean the whole house before and after, inspecting all the bookshelves to make sure everything is shelved correctly, the works - it's just not worth it unless I'm inviting the whole school."

"Wow, that sounds like a hassle. Probably easier for you to bring stuff."

"It is an enormous hassle. I will bring stuff. When would you like to schedule your learning experience? I'm free tomorrow, Thursday, and Saturday."

"Thursday's good. Tomorrow's blocked off for inventorying the kitchen to see if there are any spices left anywhere from last summer and then making a grocery run. What should I pick up for truffles?"

"Oh, here—" and she writes down a grocery list in her obnoxiously beautiful handwriting. "Pick whichever ones you feel like out of the flavourings section, I will not be disappointed if I show up and you are missing chopped hazelnuts and orange oil. And if there's anything you want and can't find, let me know and I'll bring some." She adds her phone number to the page, detaches it from her notebook, and hands it over.

"Great, thanks." Bella tucks it into her own notebook.

Solvei grins.

"I don't have a car."

"Okay. I got the really good parking spot today, I'm the ancient station wagon."

"Lucky you."

"I've been trying to show up early, I don't like having to pick my way across the parking lot with all the ice."

"Makes perfect sense."

"Yeah. I'm not used to it, and this is on top of being klutzy enough to statistically compensate for an entire gymnastics team."

"Unlucky you."

"Just a bit."

"When I was a kid I had fragile bones and anytime I slipped and fell I'd usually break something. This is a problem in Thule. But we moved away and I took a lot of calcium supplements and the meager ice of Forks holds no fear for me."