have　laughed。　No　one　found　his　remark　humorous；　so　it　must　have　been　true。　It　was　the　first　time　anyone
  had　ever　applied　the　word　graceful　'to　me　in　my　entire　life。。。　or；　well；　existence　anyway。
  〃T/？an/cyou；〃i　told　him。
  And　then　I　hooked　the　silver　satin　shoes　off　my　feet　one　by　one　and　lobbed　them　together　back　through
  the　open　window。　A　little　too　hard；　maybe；　but　I　heard　someone　catch　them　before　they　could　damage
  the　paneling。
  Alice　grumbled；　〃Her　fashion　sense　hasn't　improved　as　much　as　her　balance。〃
  Edward　took　my　hand—I　couldn't　stop　marveling　at　the　smoothness；　the　comfortable　temperature　of　his
  skin—and　darted　through　the　backyard　to　the　edge　of　the　river。　I　went　along　with　him　effortlessly。
  Everything　physical　seemed　very　simple。
  〃Are　we　swimming？〃　I　asked　him　when　we　stopped　beside　the　water。
  〃And　ruin　your　pretty　dress？　No。　We're　jumping。〃
  I　pursed　my　lips；　considering。　The　river　was　about　fifty　yards　wide　here。
  〃You　first；〃　I　said。
  He　touched　my　cheek；　took　two　quick　backward　strides；　and　then　ran　back　those　two　steps；　launching
  himself　from　a　flat　stone　firmly　embedded　in　the　riverbank。　I　studied　the　flash　of　movement　as　he　arced
  over　the　water；　finally　turning　a　somersault　just　before　he　disappeared　into　the　thick　trees　on　the　other
  side　of　the　river。
  〃Show…off；〃　I　muttered；　and　heard　his　invisible　laugh。
  I　backed　up　five　paces；　just　in　case；　and　took　a　deep　breath。
  Suddenly；　I　was　anxious　again。　Not　about　falling　or　getting　hurt—I　was　more　worried　about　the　forest
  getting　hurt。
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  It　had　come　on　slowly；　but　I　could　feel　it　now—the　raw；　massive　strength　thrilling　in　my　limbs。　I　was
  suddenly　sure　that　if　I　wanted　to　tunnel　under　the　river；　to　claw　or　beat　my　way　straight　through　the
  bedrock；　it　wouldn't　take　me　very　long。　The　objects　around　me—the　trees；　the　shrubs；　the　rocks。。。　the
  house—had　all　begun　to　look　very　fragile。
  Hoping　very　much　that　Esme　was　not　particularly　fond　of　any　specific　trees　across　the　river；　I　began　my
  first　stride。　And　then　stopped　when　the　tight　satin　split　six　inches　up　my　thigh。　Alice！
  Well；　Alice　always　seemed　to　treat　clothes　as　if　they　were　disposable　and　meant　for　one…time　usage；　so
  she　shouldn't　mind　this。　I　bent　to　carefully　grasp　the　hem　at　the　undamaged　right　seam　between　my　fingers
  and；　exerting　the　tiniest　amount　of　pressure　possible；　I　ripped　the　dress　open　to　the　top　of　my　thigh。　Then
  I　fixed　the　other　side　to　match。
  Much　better。
  I　could　hear　the　muffled　laughter　in　the　house；　and　even　the　sound　of　someone　gritting　her　teeth。　The
  laughter　came　from　upstairs　and　down；　and　I　very　easily　recognized　the　much　different；　rough；　throaty
  chuckle　from　the　firstfloor。
  So　Jacob　was　watching；　too？　I　couldn't　imagine　what　he　was　thinking　now；　or　what　he　was　still　doing
  here。　I'd　envisioned　our　reunion—if　he　could　ever　forgive　me—taking　place　far　in　the　future；　when　I　was
  more　stable；　and　time　had　healed　the　wounds　I'd　inflicted　in　his　heart。
  I　didn't　turn　to　look　at　him　now；　wary　of　my　mood　swings。　It　wouldn't　be　good　to　let　any　emotion　take
  too　strong　a　hold　on　my　frame　of　mind。　Jasper's　fears　had　me　on　edge；　too。　I　had　to　hunt　before　I　dealt
  with　anything　else。　I　tried　to　forget　everything　else　so　I　could　concentrate。
  〃Bella？〃　Edward　called　from　the　woods；　his　voice　moving　closer。　〃Do　you　want　to　watch　again？〃
  But　I　remembered　everything　perfectly；　of　course；　and　I　didn't　want　to　give　Emmett　a　reason　to　find
  more　humor　in　my　education。　This　was　physical—it　should　be　instinctive。　So　I　took　a　deep　breath　and
  ran　for　the　river。
  Unhindered　by　my　skirt；　it　took　only　one　long　bound　to　reach　the　water's　edge。　Just　an　eighty…fourth　of　a
  second；　and　yet　it　was　plenty　of　time—my　eyes　and　my　mind　moved　so　quickly　that　one　step　was
  enough。　It　was　simple　to　position　my　right　foot　just　so　against　the　flat　stone　and　exert　the　adequate
  pressure　to　send　my　body　wheeling　up　into　the　air。　I　was　paying　more　attention　to　aim　than　force；　and　I
  erred　on　the　amount　of　power　necessary—but　at　least　I　didn't　err　on　the　side　that　would　have　gotten　me
  wet。　The　fifty　yard　width　was　slightly　too　easy　a　distance___
  It　was　a　strange；　giddy；　electrifying　thing；　but　a　short　thing。　An　entire　second　had　yet　to　pass；　and　I　was
  across。
  I　was　expecting　the　close…packed　trees　to　be　a　problem；　but　they　were　surprisingly　helpful。　It　was　a
  simple　matter　to　reach　out　with　one　sure　hand　as　I　fell　back　toward　the　earth　again　deep　inside　the　forest
  and　catch　myself　on　a　convenient　branch；　I　swung　lightly　from　the　limb　and　landed　on　my　toes；　still　fifteen
  feet　from　the　ground　on　the　wide　bough　of　a　Sitka　spruce。
  It　was　fabulous。
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  Over　the　sound　of　my　peals　of　delighted　laughter；　I　could　hear　Edward　racing　to　find　me。　My　jump　had
  been　twice　as　long　as　his。　When　he　reached　my　tree；　his　eyes　were　wide。　I　leaped　nimbly　from　the
  branch　to　his　side；
  soundlessly　landing　again　on　the　balls　of　my　feet。
  〃Was　that　good？〃　I　wondered；　my　breathing　accelerated　with　excitement。
  〃Very　good。〃　He　smiled　approvingly；　but　his　casual　tone　didn't　match　the　surprised　expression　in　his
  eyes。
  〃Can　we　do　it　again？〃
  〃Focus；　Bella—we're　on　a　hunting　trip。〃
  〃Oh；　right。〃　I　nodded。　〃Hunting。〃
  〃Follow　me。。。　if　you　can。〃　He　grinned；　his　expression　suddenly　taunting；　and　broke　into　a　run。
  He　was　faster　than　me。　I　couldn't　imagine　how　he　moved　his　legs　with　such　blinding　speed；　but　it　was
  beyond　me。　However；　I　was　stronger；　and　every　stride　of　mine　matched　the　length　of　three　of　his。　And
  so　I　flew　with　him　through　the　living　green　web；　by　his　side；　not　following　at　all。　As　I　ran；　I　couldn't　help
  laughing　quietly　at　the　thrill　of　it；　the　laughter　neither　slowed　me　nor　upset　my　focus。
  I　could　finally　understand　why　Edward　never　hit　the　trees　when　he　ran—a　question　that　had　always　been
  a　mystery　to　me。　It　was　a　peculiar　sensation；　the　balance　between　the　speed　and　the　clarity。　For；　while　I
  rocketed　over；　under；　and　through　the　thick　jade　maze　at　a　rate　that　should　have　reduced　everything
  around　me　to　a　streaky　green　blur；　I　could　plainly　see　each　tiny　leaf　on　all　the　small　branches　of　every
  insignificant　shrub　that　I　passed。
  The　wind　of　my　speed　blew　my　hair　and　my　torn　dress　out　behind　me；　and；　though　I　knew　it　shouldn't；　it
  felt　warm　against　my　skin。　Just　as　the　rough　forest　floor　shouldn't　feel　like　velvet　beneath　my　bare　soles；
  and　the　limbs　that　whipped　against　my　skin　shouldn't　feel　like　caressing　feathers。
  The　forest　was　much　more　alive　than　I'd　ever　known—small　creatures　whose　existence　I'd　never
  guessed　at　teemed　in　the　leaves　around　me。　They　all　grew　silent　after　we　passed；　their　breath　quickening
  in　fear。　The　animals　had　a　much　wiser　reaction　to　our　scent　than　humans　seemed　to。　Certainly；　it'd　had
  the　opposite　effect　on　me。
  I　kept　waiting　to　feel　winded；　but　my　breath　came　effortlessly。　I　waited　for　the　burn　to　begin　in　my
  muscles；　but　my　strength　only　seemed　to　increase　as　I　grew　accustomed　to　my　stride。　My　leaping　bounds
  stretched　longer；　and　soon　he　was　trying　to　keep　up　with　me。　I　laughed　again；　exultant；　when　I　heard　him
  falling　behind。　My　naked　feet　touched　the　ground　so　infrequently　now　it　felt　more　like　flying　than　running。
  〃Belial　he　called　dryly；　his　voice　even；　lazy。　I　could　hear　nothing　else；　he　had　stopped。
  I　briefly　considered　mutiny。
  But；　with　a　sigh；　I　whirled　and　skipped　lightly　to　his　side；　some　hundred　yards　back。　I　looked　at　him
  expectantly。　He　was　smiling；　with　one　eyebrow　raised。　He　was　so　beautiful　that　I　could　only　stare。
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  〃Did　you　want　to　stay　in　the　country？〃　he　asked；　amused。　〃Or　were　you　planning　to　continue　on　to
  Canada　this　afternoon？〃
  〃This　is　fine；〃　I　agreed；　concentrating　less　on　what　he　was　saying　and　more　on　the　mesmerizing　way　his
  lips　moved　when　he　spoke。　It　was　hard　not　to　become　sidetracked　with　everything　fresh　in　my　strong
  new　eyes。　〃What　are　we　hunting？〃
  〃Elk。　I　thought　something　easy　for　your　first　time　。。。〃　He　trailed　off　when　my　eyes　narrowed　at　the　word
  easy。
  But　I　wasn't　going　to　argue；　I　was　too　thirsty。　As　soon　as　I'd　started　to　think　about　the　dry　burn　in　my
  throat；　it　was　all　I　could　think　about。　Definitely　getting　worse。　My　mouth　felt　like　four　o'clock　on　a　June
  afternoon　in　Death　Valley。
  〃Where？〃　I　asked；　scanning　the　trees　impatiently。　Now　that　I　had　given　the　thirst　my　attention；　it　seemed
  to　taint　every　other　thought　in　my　head；　leaking　into　the　more　pleasant　thoughts　of　running　and　Edw