How It All Goes Down
- Bella heads to Port Angeles with Jessica and Angela. The girls ask Bella more about her past, and are astonished to hear that she's never dated a guy and never gone to a dance. Apparently, though, Tyler is telling everyone that he's taking Bella to prom. Bella is horrified.
- Angela and Jessica pick out dresses, and Bella decides to head to a bookstore and meet up with the girls later at an Italian restaurant for dinner.
- It's getting dark as Bella goes in search of the bookstore. She gets a bit nervous when she bumps into some sketchy guys, but continues on her way. Soon, she realizes that she's lost, and the creepy men have cornered her.
- Just as Bella is trying to remember self-defense techniques ("heel of the hand thrust upward, hopefully breaking the nose or shoving into the brain" [8.55]), a shiny, silver Volvo comes around the corner driving right at her.
But the silver car unexpectedly fishtailed around, skidding to a stop with the passenger door open just a few feet from me.
"Get in," a furious voice commanded.
It was amazing how instantaneously the choking fear vanished, amazing how suddenly the feeling of security washed over me […] as soon as I heard his voice. (8.56-58) - Edward tells Bella to "Just prattle on about something unimportant until I calm down" (8.163). Why does he need to calm down?
"Sometimes I have a problem with my temper, Bella. […] But it wouldn't be helpful for me to turn around and hunt down those…" He didn't finish his sentence, looking away, struggling for a moment to control his anger again. "At least," [Edward] continued, "that's what I'm trying to convince myself." (8.84) - They run into Jessica and Angela, and learn that the two girls have already had dinner. Edward insists on getting Bella some food and driving her home himself.
- Over dinner, Bella presses Edward to tell her how he saved her. How did he know she was in an alley in Port Angeles and in danger?
"I followed you to Port Angeles," he admitted, speaking in a rush. "I've never tried to keep a specific person alive before, and it's much more troublesome than I would have believed. But that's probably just because it's you. Ordinary people seem to make it through the day without catastrophes. […] I was keeping tabs on Jessica [reading her mind][…] and at first I didn't notice when you took off on your own. (8.213, 224) - Edward found Bella when he heard what her attackers were thinking:
"It was very…hard – you can't imagine how hard – for me to simply take you away, and leave them…alive." (8.228) - They leave the restaurant, and get into Edward's car.