needs me. He's just all alone up there, and he can't cook at all. You know..."
"You want to stay in Forks?" she asked, bewildered. The idea was inconceivable to her. And then her eyes flickered back toward Fredward. "Why?"
"I told you—school, Charlie—ouch!" I'd shrugged my face again. Not a good idea.
Her hands fluttered helplessly over me, trying to find a safe place to pat. She made do with my forehead; it was undamaged.
"Bella, honey, you hate Forks!" She cried.
"No I don't."
"Yes you do!"
"It's not so bad."
She frowned and looked back and forth between Fredward and me, this time very deliberately.
"Is it this...boy?" She whispered in despair.
I opened my mouth to lie with it, but her eyes scrutinized my lips, and I knew she would see through them.
"He's part of me," I admitted. No need to confess how big a part... "So, have you had a chance to talk with Fredward?" I asked.
"Yes." She hesitated, looking at his still-perfect form. "And I want to talk to you about that."
Uh-oh. "What about?" I asked.
"I think that boy is in love with you," she accused, keeping her voice low and grabbing onto my broken arm again.
"I think so, too," I confided.
"And how do you feel about him?" She concealed the raging curiosity in her voice poorly.

468

Chapter 24

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