I felt a surge of pity, and relief. Pity because, as beautiful as they were, they were outsiders, clearly not accepted for their continental beauty. Relief, that I wasn't the only newcomer here, and certainly not the most interesting by any standard.
As I examined them, the youngest buck, one of the Cullens, looked up and met my gaze, this time with evident curiosity in his expression. As I looked swiftly away, it seemed to me that his glance held some kind of unmet expectation.
"Which one is the boy with the reddish brown hair?" I asked. I peeked at him from the corner of my eye, and he was still peeking at me, but not gawking like the other students had today—he had a slightly frustrated expression. I looked down again.
"That's Fredward. He's gorgeous, of course, but don't waste your time. He's too gorgeous; too gorgeous for me, too gorgeous for you... maybe too gorgeous for anyone. He doesn't date. Apparently none of the girls here are gorgeous-looking enough for him." She sniffed, a clear case of sour grapes. I wondered when he'd turned her down. I bit my lip to hide a smile. Then I glanced at him again, still biting and smiling. His face was turned away, but I thought his cheek appeared lifted, as if he were smiling, too. As if somehow, from all the way across the room, he knew what we were talking about, and it was him, and he knew what I was smiling about was him and the sour grapes he'd given Jessica.
After a few more minutes, the four of them left the table together. They were all noticeably graceful—even the big, brawny bison one. It was unsettling to watch. It was like their movements were inhuman, their choreography from another plane. The one named Fredward didn't look at me again, although he continued to be graceful. I sat at the table with Jessica and her friends, who took longer than I would have, if I'd been sitting alone. I was anxious not to be late for class on my first day. One of my new acquaintances, who considerately reminded me that her name

23

Chapter 1

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