Alissa Swan

Part 45

In English class, we were watching Romeo and Juliet.

"Arms, take your last embrace, and lips, O you, the doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss..." Romeo said.

The room was dark. Some of the students were entertained, some moved, Mike trying not to fall asleep. The teacher ,Mr. Berty, mouthed every word.

Edward and my desks were in the back of the room, desks pushed together, whisper-talking.

"I hate being... celebrated," I said.

"Come on, the last real birthday any of us had was Emmett's - I think Bing Crosby was on top of the charts. You'll be helping us feel normal for a night."

I sat back, knowing that I was trapped. Edward kissed my hand.

"There are worse tragedies than a birthday. Look at Romeo. He's responsible for his wife's death. Who could live with that? Though I do envy him one thing."

"Juliet's alright... if you like that obviously beautiful sort of thing."

"Not the girl - the suicide." He looked at me. "Nearly impossible for my kind. But humans, a little poison, dagger to the heart. There are so many options."

"Why would you even think about that?" I was appalled.

He turned my wrist over, and ran his hand over the horseshoe shaped scar on my forearm. He shrugged. "I considered it. Once. When James had you trapped. I didn't know if I'd find you in time. If I'd gotten you killed-"

"It wouldn't have been your fault."

"Either way, I had a plan."

"What plan?"

"There are... ways for us. At least one way. I would have gone to Italy, provoked the Volturi..."

"The who?"

Mr. Berty interrupted our conversation. "Is there something you'd like to share with the class, Edward?"

"Certainly not. But I apologize for being a distraction. Perhaps you should rewind to act five, scene one, line twenty-eight eighty-nine: 'If you had the strength of twenty men it would dispatch you straight.'"

Mr. Berty just looked at him, then moved off, intimidated. "Eyes on the screen, people."

I was too concerned to be amused.