Bella goes to English (late by the way), confused over Edward's invitation. Is this girl ever lucid? She seems confused very often. Class ends and Mike pesters her while she doesn't listen. When Bella comes to the canteen for lunch she is sad to see Edward is gone. But wait, he isn't gone! Edward is just sitting somewhere else, and invites Bella to sit by him. Edward points out Bella's friends are jealous that he has all her attention, which Bella promptly dismisses. Hmm. A common complaint I hear about Twilight is that Bella treats her human friends with contempt. Frankly, I am right there will Bella; the human students annoy me strongly, and even if Edward is vaguely and overtly menacing, he is at least not as irratating as Mike and the others.

Edward announces that he cannot avoid Bella, so he will no longer try. Instead he will make an effort be on friendly terms with her. He still warns it will not be good in the long run to be friends, but Edward seems strangely cheerful about it. Bella is naturally suspicious (as I would be).

I also notice that Bella drinks lemoade. Good girl! Lemonade is wonderful. I like her more now just for that. Anyway, Edward asks what is on Bella's mind, and she admits to wondering just what the hell Edward is. Her theories so far have included Peter Parker and Bruce Wayne, but she is too embarrassed to admit that. Some talk goes on, and eventually Bells requests that Edward inform her first if he decides to ignore he again. Edward agrees, but only if she will answer a question, which turns out to be on her theories about him. Bella reluctantly admits she had been wondering if he ever had a run-in with a radioactive spider. He denies that spiders, radioactivity, or kryptonite have anything to do with him. Wait, does this mean Stephenie Meyer does not know the difference between Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne? Edward, in typical cryptic fashion, warns that he may not be a superhero but a villain. Bella is not too surprised, finally deciding that Edward really is dangerous, but doubts he is truly evil. Edward speaks to the contrary.

Bella realizes she might be late for class, but Edward is skipping class, claiming it is healthy to miss class every once in a while. Bella disregards this and leaves for class. The teacher, Banner, comes in and stabs Mike's finger with a small pick. What!? It turns out the Red Cross is hosting a blood drive next week and Banner wanted his students to figure out their blood types as a project. Erm, as much as I like Mike being hurt, that does not seem like an ethical project to spring on your students, especially stabing one without any explaination. Banner says something about permission slips, but if they are doing the experiment right there then what good are permission slips?

Bella grows faint at the sight of blood, and Mike volunteers to take her to the nurse, even though Bella clearly does not want to see Mike's bleeding finger. Outside, Bella falls over onto the cold, damp pavement and just lays there with her eyes closed. Well, that helps me when I feel sick. Then Edward just happens by and drags her off to the nurse dispite Bella's (and Mike's) protesting.

At the nurse's, Bella rests while Edward sits by her. He jokes that he thought Mike had been carrying to corpse to bury her in a ditch, and with perverse glee observes that Mike hates him. That would give me pleasure too though, so good for Edward. Bella wants to know how Edward saw her, and he claims to have been sitting in his car, listening to a C.D. in the car park.

Mike returns with a boy named Lee Stephens. Edward makes Bella leave, and Bella is grateful; Lee was sick after getting pricked for the experiement and even a small amount of blood makes Bella ill. She hates the smell. Edward says people don't smell blood from a distance like that, but Bella claims she can. Bella opts not to return to class.

Mike again asks if Bella will come to the beach, and Bella, inexplicably, agrees. Mike says they will meet at his father's shop, and Bella decides to leave school altogether for the day. She asks if Edward will come to the beach too, although she has trouble imagining him getting into a car with a lot of other high school kids. Actually, that's kind of amusing to imagine. Edward agrees, seemingly eager to see how far he can push Mike. Bella notes this sadism with some concern, but not nearly enough.

Edward makes Bella get into his car to take her home, promising that Alice will take Bella's truck home to her. Edward plays Claude Debussy's "Clair de Lune" on C.D. which soothes Bella because it is a favorite classical piece of hers. Edward asks about Bella's family and they talk about things until Bella is home. She watches as Edward drives away into the rain. End chapter.

I rather liked this chapter. Edward is now more appealing with his openly sadistic side coming into view. Bella really should be more alarmed by that though (unless of course she is also a sadist and/or masochist). Plus, Mike gets hurt and angry! As long as Edward tortures Mike I am happy. I am more interested now to see what happens.

The Bruce Wayne/Clark Kent mix-up bothers me though. I can understand Bella getting the too confused, but I think Edward is worldly enough to know the difference. He should have poked fun at Bella for confusing the two characters, and if Bella retorted that Edward sounds like a nerd he could respond by saying he just picks information up from all over by accident. Of course, this all probably means that Meyer herself does not know the difference. From what I read about her though, she really does sound rather naïve.