“After a few minutes, he asked, real quietly, if you turned into an animal, too. And I said, ‘She wishes she was that cool!”

“Hey, do you know what you call a blond with a brain?" I asked, and the continued on the same breath, "a golden retriever."I've heard that one, too," she said, no longer smiling.I'll keep trying." I promised.”

“I waited for him to say something more, but he was quiet."Was there something you wanted?" I asked.He didn't answer right away, but I could feel him struggling, so I waited."If I asked you something, would you tell me the truth?"It was my turn to hesitate. "I don't know everything," I hedged."You would know this. When we were walking... me and Jeb... he was telling me some things. Things he thought, but I don't know if he's right."Melanie was suddenly very in my head.Jamie's whisper was hard to hear, quieter than my breathing. "Uncle Jeb thinks that Melanie might still be alive. Inside there with you, I mean." Melanie sighed.I said nothing to either of them."I didn't know that could happen. Does that happen?" His voice broke and I could hear that he was fighting tears. He was not a boy to cry, and here I'd grieved him this deeply twice in one day. A pain pierced through the general region of my chest."Does it, Wanda?""Why won't you answer me?" Jamie was really crying now but trying to muffle the sound.I crawled off the bed, squeezing into the hard space between the mattress and the mat, and threw my arm over his shaking chest. I leaned my head against his hair and felt his tears, warm on my neck."Is Melanie still alive, Wanda? Please?"He was probably a tool. The old man could have sent him just for this, Jeb was smart enough to see how easily Jamie broke through my defenses.Jamie's body shook beside me. Melanie cried. She battered ineffectually at my control.But I couldn't blame this on Melanie if it turned out to be a huge mistake. I knew who was speaking now."She promised she would come back, didn't she?" I murmured. "Would Melanie break a promise to you?"Jamie slid his arms around my waist and clung to me for a long time. After a few minutes, he whispered. "Love you, Mel.""She loves you, too. She's so happy that you're here and safe."He was silent long enough for the tears on my skin to dry, leaving a fine, salty dust behind.”

“I don't care who's a werewolf and who's a vampire. If Angela turns out to be a witch, she can join the party too.”

“In summary, she did jump off a cliff, but she wasn't trying to kill herself. Bella's all about the extreme sports these days."I flushed and turned my eyes straight ahead, looking after the dark shadow that I could no longer see. I could imagine what he was hearing in Alice's thoughts now. Near-drowings, stalking vampires, werewolf friends . . ."Hm," Edward said curtly, and the casual tone of his voice was gone.”

“Edward can do everything, right?" I explained.Jasper snickered and Esme gave Edward a reproving look. "I hope you haven't been showing off-it's rude," she scolded."Just a bit," he laughed freely."He's been too modest actually," I corrected."Well, play for her," Esme encouraged."You just said showing off was rude," he objected."There are exceptions to every rule," she replied.”

“Ew. Someone put the dog out, "Rosalie murmured wrinkling her nose.Have you herd this one, Psycho?how do a blond's brain cells die?"She didn't say anything.Well?" I asked."Do you know the punch line or not?"She looked pointedly at the TV and ignored me.Has she heard it?" I asked Edward.No." He answered.Awesome. So you'll enjoy this, bloodsucker--a blond's brain cells die alone.”