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𝐄𝐃𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐃𝐈𝐃 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐒𝐄𝐄 𝐌𝐔𝐂𝐇 𝐎𝐅 Jasper's guests for the two sunny days that they were in Forks. He only went home so that Esme wouldn't worry. Otherwise, his existence seemed more like that of a specter than a vampire.
He hovered, invisible in the shadows, where Edward could follow the object of his love and obsession-where he could see her and hear her, in the minds of the lucky humans who could walk through the sunlight beside her, sometimes accidentally brushing the back of her hand with their own. She never reacted to such contact; their hands were just as warm as hers.
The enforced absence from school had never been a trial like this before. But the sun seemed to make her happy, so he could not resent it too much.
Anything that pleased Athena was in Edward's good graces.
Monday morning, the vampire eavesdropped on a conversation that had the potential to destroy his confidence and make the time spent away from her torture. As it ended up, though, it rather made his day.
Edward had to feel some little respect for Mike Newton; he had not simply given up and slunk away to nurse his wounds. He had more bravery than he'd given him credit for. He was going to try again.
Athena got to school and, seeming intent on enjoying the sun while it lasted, she declined her friend's offer and went to sit at one of the seldom-used picnic benches.
She looked so beautiful, like always. But the sun added that tiny little sparkle to her exquisite beauty.
Mike found her there, doodling again, and was thrilled at his good luck. It was agonizing to only be able to watch, powerless, bound to the forest's shadows by the bright sunlight.
She greeted him with enough enthusiasm to make him ecstatic, and Edward the opposite.
'See, she likes me. She wouldn't smile like that if she didn't. I bet she wanted to go to the dance with me. Wonder what's so important in Seattle...'
He perceived the change in her eyes.
"Wow, Your eyes look beautiful, they don't shine that much. The color is very cool."
Edward accidentally uprooted the young spruce tree his hand was resting on, out of pure anger and jealousy, when Newton brushed a small lock of her hair.
"Thank you," she said.
To Edward's deep satisfaction, she cringed away from him slightly when he tucked the strand behind her ear and she only smiled out of politeness.
It took Mike a minute to build up his courage, wasting some time on small talk.
She reminded him of the essay they all had due on Wednesday. From the faintly smug expression on her face, hers was already done. He'd forgotten altogether, and that severely diminished his free time.
