I’m pretty new to the entire online shopping experience. So far I’ve only bought stuff from two sites – Amazon and eBay. However, I recently discovered this site called ShopWiki, which is basically a search engine for all internet shopping stores.

What I liked about it is that instead of having to check all the other shopping sites out there for some of the hard-to-find items that I want, I only need to log in to ShopWiki and it will search the entire web for me. When I tried to look for the Focus on the Family Radio Theatre Series of The Chronicles of Narnia (one of the items on my wish list), I was routed to a site which sold it for less than Amazon did.

Another nice thing about it is that they have buying guides as well. It’s always nice to read insider tips on what to look for before purchasing the usual stuff I buy, like books, DVDs or movie memorabilia. They also have a pretty comprehensive list of related links.

I wish I discovered ShopWiki earlier so that I could have compared the prices for all my other online purchases. The next time I’m buying online, I’m going to use ShopWiki for sure.

NOTE: This is a book review I did for Squeaky Clean Reviews, a website that analyzes books from a Christian perspective.

Although I did enjoy Twilight, I would have to say that Christians should read this with caution. I would also advise teens to read this with parental or adult supervision, especially the next three books.

You can also read my review here: http://www.squeakycleanreviews.com/review.cfm?review_id=781

PLOT

Following the Romeo and Juliet motif, this is the story of impossible love. Bella Swan leaves sunny Phoenix, Arizona to live with her dad in rainy Forks, Washington. There she meets and gets intrigued by her mysterious Biology lab partner, Edward Cullen. The attraction between them grows, but their relationship is complicated by the fact that Edward is a vampire.

MORALITY

Here are some of the issues raised about the book.

1. There will always be the question of whether romanticizing traditionally evil creatures such as vampires is wrong. Similar to the debate about having good witches in Harry Potter, this series started the debate on the acceptability of good vampires as protagonists.

2. Some of the characters have supernatural gifts. One of them sees visions of the future, which could be considered occultic.

3. Bella is willing to give up her soul to be with Edward for all eternity without hesitation, even though Edward believes that vampires go to hell in the end.

4. Bella lies to her parents repeatedly. She also allows Edward to stay at her bedroom every night without her father’s knowledge.

However, there are also themes in the story that could be good talking points for teens and their parents.

1. Edward (and his family) resists the temptation to kill people despite their thirst for human blood. They go against their very nature in order to do what they believe is right.

2. Even though he loves Bella, Edward doesn’t want her to become a vampire too because he doesn’t want to endanger her soul.

SPIRITUAL CONTENT

There are deeper spiritual discussions in the succeeding books, but in the first book, Edward mentions the age-old question of evolution and creation and even makes reference to the Creator in this quote:

“Well, where did you come from? Evolution? Creation? Couldn’t we have evolved in the same way as other species, predator and prey? Or, if you don’t believe that all this world could have just happened on its own, which is hard for me to accept myself, is it so hard to believe that the same force that created the delicate angelfish with the shark, the baby seal and the killer whale, could create both our kinds together?”

VIOLENCE

There is some violence towards the end, although it is not described too graphically.

DRUG AND ALCOHOL CONTENT

In describing his attraction to the scent of Bella’s blood, Edward makes references to alcoholics and drug addicts. One of the most popular lines from the book and the movie is “You are exactly my brand of heroin.”

SEXUAL CONTENT

The main characters make out, and Bella sleeps in Edward’s arms nearly every night (although nothing happens, since Edward is adamant about keeping both their virginity).

CRUDE OR PROFANE LANGUAGE OR CONTENT

Some of the characters sometimes display disrespect towards their parents. Obsessive, unhealthy love seems to be encouraged.

CONCLUSION

This is an interesting read for people who are willing to overlook the negative points in the story. It’s fast-paced, exciting and quite entertaining. However, because of some of the questionable elements of the story, parents are advised to warn young teens or new believers from reading this book as it may negatively affect their relationship with God.

Once upon a time, there were two rival gangs – the Jets and the Sharks. Tony, the best friend of the leader of the Jets, fell in love with Maria, the sister of the leader of the Sharks. They try to make their relationship work despite the gang rivalry. However, during a violent rumble, Maria’s brother kills Tony’s best friend. Enraged, Tony kills Maria’s brother and runs off. To avenge their leader, a member of the Sharks shoots down Tony, who was about to run off with Maria.

This is the plot of West Side Story, a Broadway musical which was later made into a Hollywood film. It presents the cruel consequences of violence, especially among teenagers. It was also the inspiration for the award-winning music video of Michael Jackson’s 1983 hit song “Beat It.”

Composed by Michael Jackson, the song advises the listeners to “beat it” in order to avoid violent confrontations: “You better run, you better do what you can / Don’t wanna see no blood, don’t be a macho man / You wanna be tough, better do what you can / So beat it.”

It was not a secret that Michael Jackson suffered physical abuse in the hands of his father while growing up. Being a victim of abuse caused him to develop very strong convictions against violence, which is reflected in his music.

Directed by Bob Giraldi, the music video of “Beat It” catapulted Michael Jackson into superstardom and won many awards, including Favorite Pop/Rock Video and Favorite Soul Video in the American Music Awards. It was later inducted in the Music Video Producer’s Hall of Fame.

Similar to West Side Story, the music video of “Beat It” shows two rival gangs of different ethnicity. When the leaders of both gangs are about to start their one-on-one knife fight, Michael Jackson appears between them, singing “Beat it… / It doesn’t matter who’s wrong or right / Just beat it.” He is able to stop the fight from happening, and members of both gangs join him in a group dance choreographed by Michael Peters (who is one of the leaders of the gang).

I don’t really consider myself a fan of fantasy, but there are three popular fantasy franchises that I enjoyed – The Chronicles of Narnia (my all-time favorite), the Harry Potter series and the Twilight saga. It’s interesting how the movies caused some movie connections in the sense that an actor that appeared in one franchise appeared in another as well.

I found connections between Narnia and Harry Potter, and Harry Potter and Twilight, but none yet between Narnia and Twilight. Thankfully, the rumors that Ben Barnes aka Prince Caspian himself was lobbying for the role of Aro in New Moon seems to have been unfounded. Anyway, here they are, with a brief description of the roles of the actors. Please let me know if there are others that I missed.

NARNIA and HARRY POTTER

Jim Broadbent

- played the role of Professor Digory Kirke (who owned the wardrobe through which Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy entered the world of Narnia) in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the first Narnia movie released by Disney – Walden Media

- played the role of Professor Horace Slughorn (the potions professor who inadvertently told Voldemort about horcruxes) in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Warwick Davis

- played the role of Nikabrik (the black dwarf who lived with Trufflehunter the badger and Trumpkin) in Prince Caspian, the second Narnia movie released by Disney – Walden Media. Incidentally, he also played the role of Glimfeather (the owl) and Reepicheep (the valiant mouse) in the BBC Narnia productions of Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

- played the role of the half-goblin Professor Filius Flitwick in the Harry Potter movies whose appearance changed throughout the series. He also played some extra roles in Harry Potter, such as a goblin bank teller in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and choir conductor in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Kenneth Branagh

- performed The Magician’s Nephew in the HarperCollins audiobook series of The Chronicles of Narnia. His performance along with Patrick Stewart’s in The Last Battle was my favorite.

- played the role of Gilderoy Lockhart (a foppish celebrity wizard who turned out to be sham) in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Rumor has it that Hugh Grant was initially eyed for the role, but I’m glad they went with Branagh in the end. He was perfect for the role.

HARRY POTTER AND TWILIGHT

Robert Pattinson

- played the role of Cedric Diggory, the Hufflepuff prefect and Hogwarts champion for the Tri-Wizard Tournament, in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Curiously enough, many believe J K Rowling got the name of Cedric Diggory from Narnia’s Professor Digory Kirke. This is obviously the most well-known movie connection in the fantasy film genre.

- played the role of Edward Cullen, the vampire who fell in love with a seventeen year old girl, in Twilight and the succeeding movies of the Twilight saga. The role of Edward Cullen is widely considered to be Robert Pattinson’s breakthrough role, which he almost didn’t get because some fans were complaining that he couldn’t be Edward since he was Cedric.

Jamie Campbell Bower

- has reputedly been cast in the role of Gellert Grindelward (the childhood friend of Albus Dumbledore) in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

- will be playing the role of Caius (the lead vampire of the Volturi) in New Moon, the second book in the Twilight saga.

A lot of people have seen Usher’s emotional rendition of the Michael Jackson classic, “Gone Too Soon,” during the memorial service for the King of Pop last 7 July 2009. The song was sadly appropriate for the legendary artist’s sudden passing: “Born to amuse, to inspire, to delight / Here one day / Gone one night.”

Released in 6 December 1993, “Gone Too Soon” was the 9th single from the album Dangerous. It was composed by Larry Grossman and Buz Kohan, and was produced by Michael Jackson himself.

The music video of “Gone Too Soon” shows video clips of a young American teenager named Ryan White, to whom the song was dedicated. At the age of 13, Ryan White became infected with HIV due to a contaminated blood treatment used to cure his haemophilia. When the fact that he was HIV positive became publicly known, he was expelled from school. This started a prolonged legal battle to allow him to go back to school, which turned Ryan White into a national celebrity and a poster child for AIDS.

White frequently appeared in public to promote AIDS awareness with celebrities like Michael Jackson, who became his close friend. The pop star even gave him a red Mustang convertible as a gift. A few months before White’s high school graduation, he finally succumbed to AIDS after battling a lung infection. Michael Jackson attended his funeral, along with other celebrities who have become close to him throughout the years. 

A few months after White’s death, Michael Jackson recorded the song “Gone Too Soon” as a tribute to his young friend. He also performed the song for President Bill Clinton’s inaugural ball on 20 January 1993, where he took the opportunity to talk about the importance of AIDS research.

Another untimely death led to the re-emergence of the song in 1997 – that of Princess Diana, who died in a car accident on 31 August 1997. “Gone Too Soon” was included in the compilation album in her honor, which was called Diana Princess of Wales Tribute.

Although the song never reached #1 in the charts, “Gone Too Soon” will always remind the world of a brilliant artist who was gone too soon.

NOTE:  I wrote this essay to join the contest of Powerbooks called “Inspired! A Tribute to the Book that Started It All.” Entries are supposed to be about the book that started one’s love affair with reading. I had a tough time deciding which book to write about, so I was only able to write this on the day before the deadline. Thankfully, I won 3rd place.

————————-

“I may be strong-minded, but no one can say I’m out of my sphere now, for woman’s special mission is supposed to be drying tears and bearing burdens.” (Little Women, Louisa May Alcott)

It’s hard to remember the exact moment when I realized that I loved reading. All I know is that as a kid, I would read everything in the house – labels on shampoo bottles, my Dad’s theology books, old issues of Reader’s Digest. I discovered the wonders of the school library when I was in kindergarten, and would spend countless hours stretched out on the carpet with a Sesame Street book. By the time I was in Grade 3, I have progressed to illustrated versions of Nick Joaquin’s classics like The Woman Who Had Two Navels. The world of Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys opened up to me when I was in Grade 5, and I would take home five books at a time, intent on finishing the entire series in the shortest time possible.

Due to my limited allowance, I would very rarely buy books of my own. I was happy enough to borrow books from classmates and the library, mainly because I don’t often re-read books anyway. One reading is usually enough, so there’s no point in buying my own copy.

I don’t even remember what induced me buy a discounted paperback copy of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Perhaps it was included in my English class reading list and I got curious. Perhaps I read a mention of it in some essay or magazine article and I thought it would be worth buying. All I remember is that I was in first year high school, I was in a bookstore on my own, and I decided to use my week’s savings to buy the book. That hasty decision started my book collection.

There’s a certain rustic charm about this book which instantly attracted me. From the start, I felt drawn to the character of Jo March – the tomboyish, headstrong protagonist. I got interested in her three sisters as well – Meg (who reminded me of my own sister), Beth and Amy. I loved Marmee with all my heart, and had a crush on Jo’s best friend and next-door neighbor, Teddy Laurence.

I read the entire book in one sitting, and re-read it again the next day (and the day after that and so on). If I wasn’t re-reading Little Women, I would be reading Louisa May Alcott’s other books in our school library, such as Little Men, Jo’s Boys, Rose in Bloom, Under the Lilacs and Eight Cousins.

Little Women was not the first book I read, but it was the book that made me realize that reading was going to be my lifelong hobby. It opened my eyes to the fact that I’ll never be happier than when I’m curled up in bed with a good book. It made me understand that there are some books you just have to own, for the pleasure of re-reading it anytime you want.

When I think about it now, I can name two particular reasons why Little Women will always be one of my favorites.

For one, it is a coming-of-age story, and I was lucky enough to read it during the time that I was coming of age myself. I could feel Jo’s rebellion at the thought that she was expected to leave her boyish ways behind to become a “proper” lady. I could feel her discomfort and awkwardness throughout her teenage years. The book gave me hope that indeed, this embarrassing stage in life will pass, and that maybe I could even become a gracious little woman afterwards.

The other reason is that I could relate all too well with the character of Jo, especially with regards to her temper. When her sister almost died because of something she did in anger, a repentant Jo sobbed to her mother about not knowing how to control her fits of rage. Marmee comforted Jo – and me – when she explained that she had the same problem, and was angry nearly every day. The difference is that Marmee was always very careful not to show any signs of irritation. As she explained, “A startled or surprised look from one of you when I spoke sharply rebuked me more than any words could have done, and the love, respect, and confidence of my children was the sweetest reward I could receive for my efforts to be the woman I would have them copy.” She also explained that we must ask our Father in heaven to teach us to deal with our anger and to change our hearts. Reading Marmee’s words somehow made me feel as if a burden was lifted up from me, and I resolved to follow her advice.

Aside from being able to relate to Jo’s temper, I could also relate to her grief when Beth – her favorite sister, her personal “conscience” – died. You see, my own brother died two years before I read Little Women. Something stirred in me when I read one of Beth’s final conversations with Jo – “I never wanted to go away, and the hard part now is the leaving you all. I’m not afraid, but it seems as if I should be homesick for you even in heaven.” It made me cry the first time I read it, and I used to avoid re-reading that particular part. Later on, I realized that I had to face my grief some time and let the story of Beth’s death wash away some of my sorrow for my own Kuya’s death.

That’s why Little Women will always have a special place in my bookshelf and in my heart. That’s why this book will forever hold a certain magic for me. It’s because through its heartwarming storyline, its relatable characters and its subtle moral lessons, Little Women is capable of drying my tears, and bearing my burdens.

As I mentioned earlier, Twilight (both the saga and the movie) is currently my favorite guilty pleasure. I did 2 blog entries already of my favorite movie quotes, so I thought I’d go ahead and write 2 more entries on my favorite book quotes. Here are my favorites from chapters 13 to 23. You can check out part 1 here.

—-

Here’s part of the pivotal conversation between Edward and Bella at the meadow. I’m glad nearly the entire scene was showed in the movie.

But I couldn’t answer. As I had just that once before, I smelled his cool breath in my face. Sweet, delicious, the scent made my mouth water. It was unlike anything else. Instinctively, unthinkingly, I leaned closer, inhaling.

And he was gone, his hand ripped from mine. In the time it took my eyes to focus, he was twenty feet away, standing at the edge of the small meadow, in the deep shade of a huge fir tree. He stared at me, his eyes dark in the shadows, his expression unreadable.

I could feel the hurt and shock on my face. My empty hands stung.

“I’m… sorry… Edward,” I whispered. I knew he could hear.

“Give me a moment,” he called, just loud enough for my less sensitive ears. I sat very still.

After ten incredibly long seconds, he walked back, slowly for him. He stopped, still several feet away, and sank gracefully to the ground, crossing his legs. His eyes never left mine. He took two deep breaths, and then smiled in apology.

“I am so very sorry.” He hesitated. “Would you understand what I meant if I said I was only human?”

I nodded once, not quite able to smile at his joke. Adrenaline pulsed through my veins as the realization of danger slowly sank in. He could smell that from where he sat. His smile turned mocking.

“I’m the world’s best predator, aren’t I? Everything about me invites you in – my voice, my face, even my smell. As if I need any of that!” Unexpectedly, he was on his feet, bounding away, instantly out of sight, only to appear beneath the same tree as before, having circled the meadow in half a second.

“As if you could outrun me,” he laughed bitterly.

He reached up with one hand and, with a deafening crack, effortlessly ripped a two-foot-thick branch from the trunk of the spruce. He balanced it in that hand for a moment, and then threw it with blinding speed, shattering it against another huge tree, which shook and trembled at the blow.

And he was in front of me again, standing two feet away, still as a stone.

“As if you could fight me off,” he said gently.

I sat without moving, more frightened of him than I had ever been. I’d never seen him so completely freed of that carefully cultivated facade. He’d never been less human… or more beautiful. Face ashen, eyes wide, I sat like a bird locked in the eyes of a snake.

—-

Here’s another part of their meadow conversation, containing the heroin quote.

“You see, every person smells different, has a different essence. If you locked an alcoholic in a room full of stale beer, he’d gladly drink it. But he could resist, if he wished to, if he were a recovering alcoholic. Now let’s say you placed in that room a glass of hundred-year-old brandy, the rarest, finest cognac – and filled the room with its warm aroma – how do you think he would fare then?”

We sat silently, looking into each other’s eyes – trying to read each other’s thoughts.

He broke the silence first.

“Maybe that’s not the right comparison. Maybe it would be too easy to turn down the brandy. Perhaps I should have made our alcoholic a heroin addict instead.”

“So what you’re saying is, I’m your brand of heroin?” I teased, trying to lighten the mood.

He smiled swiftly, seeming to appreciate my effort. “Yes, you are exactly my brand of heroin.”

—-

Here’s another part of their meadow conversation, where Bella first found out how Edward travelled in the forest.

“I’ll show you how I travel in the forest.” He saw my expression. “Don’t worry, you’ll be very safe, and we’ll get to your truck much faster.” His mouth twitched up into that crooked smile so beautiful my heart nearly stopped.

“Will you turn into a bat?” I asked warily.

—-

Here’s a funny conversation when Edward admitted having visited Bella while she was sleeping.

“How often?” I asked casually.

“Hmmm?” He sounded as if I had pulled him from some other train of thought.

I still didn’t turn around. “How often did you come here?”

“I come here almost every night.”

I whirled, stunned. “Why?”

“You’re interesting when you sleep.” He spoke matter-of-factly. “You talk.”

“No!” I gasped, heat flooding my face all the way to my hairline. I gripped the kitchen counter for support. I knew I talked in my sleep, of course; my mother teased me about it. I hadn’t thought it was something I needed to worry about here, though.

His expression shifted instantly to chagrin. “Are you very angry with me?”

“That depends!” I felt and sounded like I’d had the breath knocked out of me.

He waited.

“On?” he urged.

“What you heard!” I wailed.

Instantly, silently, he was at my side, taking my hands carefully in his.

“Don’t be upset!” he pleaded. He dropped his face to the level of my eyes, holding my gaze. I was embarrassed. I tried to look away. “You miss your mother,” he whispered. “You worry about her. And when it rains, the sound makes you restless. You used to talk about home a lot, but it’s less often now. Once you said, ‘It’s too green.’” He laughed softly, hoping, I could see, not to offend me further.

“Anything else?” I demanded.

He knew what I was getting at. “You did say my name,” he admitted.

I sighed in defeat. “A lot?”

“How much do you mean by ‘a lot,’ exactly?”

“Oh no!” I hung my head.

He pulled me against his chest, softly, naturally.

“Don’t be self-conscious,” he whispered in my ear. “If I could dream at all, it would be about you. And I’m not ashamed of it.”

—-

Here’s an interesting conversation during Edward’s first night at Bella’s room (with Bella knowing that he was there).

“You seem more… optimistic than usual,” I observed. “I haven’t seen you like this before.”

“Isn’t it supposed to be like this?” He smiled. “The glory of first love, and all that. It’s incredible, isn’t it, the difference between reading about something, seeing it in the pictures, and experiencing it?”

“Very different,” I agreed. “More forceful than I’d imagined.”

“For example” – his words flowed swiftly now, I had to concentrate to catch it all – “the emotion of jealousy. I’ve read about it a hundred thousand times, seen actors portray it in a thousand different plays and movies. I believed I understood that one pretty clearly. But it shocked me…” He grimaced. “Do you remember the day that Mike asked you to the dance?”

I nodded, though I remembered that day for a different reason. “The day you started talking to me again.”

“I was surprised by the flare of resentment, almost fury, that I felt – I didn’t recognize what it was at first. I was even more aggravated than usual that I couldn’t know what you were thinking, why you refused him. Was it simply for your friend’s sake? Was there someone else? I knew I had no right to care either way. I tried not to care.

“And then the line started forming,” he chuckled. I scowled in the darkness.

“I waited, unreasonably anxious to hear what you would say to them, to watch your expressions. I couldn’t deny the relief I felt, watching the annoyance on your face. But I couldn’t be sure.

“That was the first night I came here. I wrestled all night, while watching you sleep, with the chasm between what I knew was right, moral, ethical, and what I wanted. I knew that if I continued to ignore you as I should, or if I left for a few years, till you were gone, that someday you would say yes to Mike, or someone like him. It made me angry.

“And then,” he whispered, “as you were sleeping, you said my name. You spoke so clearly, at first I thought you’d woken. But you rolled over restlessly and mumbled my name once more, and sighed. The feeling that coursed through me then was unnerving, staggering. And I knew I couldn’t ignore you any longer.” He was silent for a moment, probably listening to the suddenly uneven pounding of my heart.

“But jealousy… it’s a strange thing. So much more powerful than I would have thought. And irrational! Just now, when Charlie asked you about that vile Mike Newton…” He shook his head angrily.

“I should have known you’d be listening,” I groaned.

“Of course.”

“That made you feel jealous, though, really?”

“I’m new at this; you’re resurrecting the human in me, and everything feels stronger because it’s fresh.”

—-

Edward’s quote below is fraught with religious implications. However, I don’t really want to go into that, but this really reminded me of a line from William Blake’s poem “The Tiger” – “Did He who made the Lamb make thee?”

“Well, where did you come from? Evolution? Creation? Couldn’t we have evolved in the same way as other species, predator and prey? Or, if you don’t believe that all this world could have just happened on its own, which is hard for me to accept myself, is it so hard to believe that the same force that created the delicate angelfish with the shark, the baby seal and the killer whale, could create both our kinds together?”

—-

I really like this part, because Edward tried to explain his reasons for resisting temptation.

I sifted through my questions for the most vital. “Why do you do it?” I said. “I still don’t understand how you can work so hard to resist what you… are. Please don’t misunderstand, of course I’m glad that you do. I just don’t see why you would bother in the first place.”

He hesitated before answering. “That’s a good question, and you are not the first one to ask it. The others – the majority of our kind who are quite content with our lot – they, too, wonder at how we live. But you see, just because we’ve been… dealt a certain hand… it doesn’t mean that we can’t choose to rise above – to conquer the boundaries of a destiny that none of us wanted. To try to retain whatever essential humanity we can.”

—-

This is a very sweet scene during Edward’s first morning at Bella’s room, and she asked him about her sleep-talking.

I groaned. “What did you hear?”

His gold eyes grew very soft. “You said you loved me.”

“You knew that already,” I reminded him, ducking my head.

“It was nice to hear, just the same.”

I hid my face against his shoulder.

“I love you,” I whispered.

“You are my life now,” he answered simply.

—-

Here’s a funny part.

“Breakfast time,” he said eventually, casually – to prove, I’m sure, that he remembered all my human frailties.

So I clutched my throat with both hands and stared at him with wide eyes. Shock crossed his face.

“Kidding!” I snickered. “And you said I couldn’t act!”

He frowned in disgust. “That wasn’t funny.”

“It was very funny, and you know it.” But I examined his gold eyes carefully, to make sure that I was forgiven. Apparently, I was.

“Shall I rephrase?” he asked. “Breakfast time for the human.”

—-

I love how this part was included in the movie, even though it wasn’t verbatim.

“And you’re worried, not because you’re headed to meet a houseful of vampires, but because you think those vampires won’t approve of you, correct?”

“That’s right,” I answered immediately, hiding my surprise at his casual use of the word.

He shook his head. “You’re incredible.”

—-

I would have loved to see this in the movie, but at least the line “You really shouldn’t have said that” was included.”

I hate to burst your bubble, but you’re really not as scary as you think you are. I don’t find you scary at all, actually,” I lied casually.

He stopped, raising his eyebrows in blatant disbelief. Then he flashed a wide, wicked smile.

“You really shouldn’t have said that,” he chuckled.

He growled, a low sound in the back of his throat; his lips curled back over his perfect teeth. His body shifted suddenly, half-crouched, tensed like a lion about to pounce.

I backed away from him, glaring.

“You wouldn’t.”

I didn’t see him leap at me – it was much too fast. I only found myself suddenly airborne, and then we crashed onto the sofa, knocking it into the wall. All the while, his arms formed an iron cage of protection around me – I was barely jostled. But I still was gasping as I tried to right myself.

He wasn’t having that. He curled me into a ball against his chest, holding me more securely than iron chains. I glared at him in alarm, but he seemed well in control, his jaw relaxed as he grinned, his eyes bright only with humor.

“You were saying?” he growled playfully.

“That you are a very, very terrifying monster,” I said, my sarcasm marred a bit by my breathless voice.

“Much better,” he approved.

—-

I really like both Alice and Jasper, especially how they soothed Bella in this scene.

Jasper was suddenly beside Alice, closer to me than usual.

“Bella,” he said in a suspiciously soothing voice. “You have nothing to worry about. You are completely safe here.”

“I know that.”

“Then why are you frightened?” he asked, confused. He might feel the tenor of my emotions, but he couldn’t read the reasons behind them.

“You heard what Laurent said.” My voice was just a whisper, but I was sure they could hear me. “He said James was lethal. What if something goes wrong, and they get separated? If something happens to any of them, Carlisle, Emmett… Edward…” I gulped. “If that wild female hurts Esme…” My voice had grown higher, a note of hysteria beginning to rise in it. “How could I live with myself when it’s my fault? None of you should be risking yourselves for me -”

“Bella, Bella, stop,” he interrupted me, his words pouring out so quickly they were hard to understand. “You’re worrying about all the wrong things, Bella. Trust me on this – none of us are in jeopardy. You are under too much strain as it is; don’t add to it with wholly unnecessary worries. Listen to me!” he ordered, for I had looked away. “Our family is strong. Our only fear is losing you.”

“But why should you -”

Alice interrupted this time, touching my cheek with her cold fingers. “It’s been almost a century that Edward’s been alone. Now he’s found you. You can’t see the changes that we see, we who have been with him for so long. Do you think any of us want to look into his eyes for the next hundred years if he loses you?”

—-

Here’s an interesting conversation between Edward and Bella at the hospital.

“How did you do it?” I asked quietly. He knew what I meant at once.

“I’m not sure.” He looked away from my wondering eyes, lifting my gauze-wrapped hand from the bed and holding it gently in his, careful not to disrupt the wire connecting me to one of the monitors.

I waited patiently for the rest.

He sighed without returning my gaze. “It was impossible… to stop,” he whispered. “Impossible. But I did.” He looked up finally, with half a smile. “I must love you.”

“Don’t I taste as good as I smell?” I smiled in response. That hurt my face.

“Even better – better than I’d imagined.”

—-

Here’s another light-hearted banter between Edward and Bella, which I sort of missed in the movie. Sometimes Edward and Bella were too intense.

I tried to reach his face with my free hand, but something stopped me. I glanced down to see the IV pulling at my hand.

“Ugh.” I winced.

“What is it?” he asked anxiously – distracted, but not enough. The bleakness did not entirely leave his eyes.

“Needles,” I explained, looking away from the one in my hand. I concentrated on a warped ceiling tile and tried to breathe deeply despitet the ache in my ribs.

“Afraid of a needle,” he muttered to himself under his breath, shaking his head. “Oh, a sadistic vampire, intent on torturing her to death, sure, no problem, she runs off to meet him. An IV, on the other hand…”

—-

This part seems to be a foreshadowing of some sorts to the events that would happen in New Moon.

“Why did you say that?” I whispered, trying to keep my voice from shaking. “Are you tired of having to save me all the time? Do you want me to go away?”

“No, I don’t want to be without you, Bella, of course not. Be rational. And I have no problem with saving you, either – if it weren’t for the fact that I was the one putting you in danger… that I’m the reason that you’re here.”

“Yes, you are the reason.” I frowned. “The reason I’m here – alive.”

“Barely.” His voice was just a whisper. “Covered in gauze and plaster and hardly able to move.”

“I wasn’t referring to my most recent near-death experience,” I said, growing irritated. “I was thinking of the others – you can take your pick. If it weren’t for you, I would be rotting away in the Forks cemetery.”

He winced at my words, but the haunted look didn’t leave his eyes.

“That’s not the worst part, though,” he continued to whisper. He acted as if I hadn’t spoken. “Not seeing you there on the floor… crumpled and broken.” His voice was choked. “Not thinking I was too late. Not even hearing you scream in pain – all those unbearable memories that I’ll carry with me for the rest of eternity. No, the very worst was feeling… knowing that I couldn’t stop. Believing that I was going to kill you myself.”

“But you didn’t.”

“I could have. So easily.”

—-

This part seems a bit like a forehsadowing of Alice’s future role as Bella’s best girlfriend and head vampire of all things related to cosmetics and fashion.

“I’m not coming over anymore if Alice is going to treat me like Guinea Pig Barbie when I do,” I griped. I’d spent the better part of the day in Alice’s staggeringly vast bathroom, a helpless victim as she played hairdresser and cosmetician. Whenever I fidgeted or complained, she reminded me that she didn’t have any memories of being human, and asked me not to ruin her vicarious fun.

—-

I thought this was really funny… and sweet (for Bella that is, not for Tyler).

Something Charlie was saying made Edward’s eyes widen in disbelief, and then a grin spread across his face.

“You’re kidding!” He laughed.

“What is it?” I demanded.

He ignored me. “Why don’t you let me talk to him?” Edward suggested with evident pleasure. He waited for a few seconds.

“Hello, Tyler, this is Edward Cullen.” His voice was very friendly, on the surface. I knew it well enough to catch the soft edge of menace. What was Tyler doing at my house? The awful truth began to dawn on me. I looked again at the inappropriate dress Alice had forced me into.

“I’m sorry if there’s been some kind of miscommunication, but Bella is unavailable tonight.” Edward’s tone changed, and the threat in his voice was suddenly much more evident as he continued. “To be perfectly honest, she’ll be unavailable every night, as far as anyone besides myself is concerned. No offense. And I’m sorry about your evening.” He didn’t sound sorry at all. And then he snapped the phone shut, a huge smirk on his face.

—-

I don’t think the other Cullens were shown at the prom in the movie. I would have loved to see how their outfits as described here would look.

In Phoenix, they held proms in hotel ballrooms. This dance was in the gym, of course. It was probably the only room in town big enough for a dance. When we got inside, I giggled. There were actual balloon arches and twisted garlands of pastel crepe paper festooning the walls.

“This looks like a horror movie waiting to happen,” I snickered.

“Well,” he muttered as we slowly approached the ticket table – he was carrying most of my weight, but I still had to shuffle and wobble my feet forward – “there are more than enough vampires present.”

I looked at the dance floor; a wide gap had formed in the center of the floor, where two couples whirled gracefully. The other dancers pressed to the sides of the room to give them space – no one wanted to stand in contrast with such radiance. Emmett and Jasper were intimidating and flawless in classic tuxedos. Alice was striking in a black satin dress with geometric cutouts that bared large triangles of her snowy white skin. And Rosalie was… well, Rosalie. She was beyond belief. Her vivid scarlet dress was backless, tight to her calves where it flared into a wide ruffled train, with a neckline that plunged to her waist. I pitied every girl in the room, myself included.

“Do you want me to bolt the doors so you can massacre the unsuspecting townsfolk?” I whispered conspiratorially.

“And where do you fit into that scheme?” He glared.

“Oh, I’m with the vampires, of course.”

—-

I thought Jacob was pretty funny here. I’ll never be in Team Jacob, but sometimes I understand his appeal. Sometimes.

“Hey, I’m sorry you had to come do this, Jacob,” I apologized. “At any rate, you get your parts, right?”

“Yeah,” he muttered. He was still looking awkward… upset.

“There’s more?” I asked in disbelief.

“Forget it,” he mumbled, “I’ll get a job and save the money myself.”

I glared at him until he met my gaze. “Just spit it out, Jacob.”

“It’s so bad.”

“I don’t care. Tell me,” I insisted.

“Okay… but, geez, this sounds bad.” He shook his head. “He said to tell you, no, to warn you, that – and this is his plural, not mine” – he lifted one hand from my waist and made little quotations marks in the air – ‘”We’ll be watching.’” He watched warily for my reaction.

It sounded like something from a mafia movie. I laughed out loud.

—-

I’m including this again because the word “twilight” was mentioned.

“Twilight, again,” he murmured. “Another ending. No matter how perfect the day is, it always has to end.”

“Some things don’t have to end,” I muttered through my teeth, instantly tense.

He ignored me, staring up at the moon.

—-

Well, the word “twilight” was mentioned again, and part of this was included in the movie.

He sighed deeply. “I know. And you’re really that willing?”

The pain was back in his eyes. I bit my lip and nodded.

“So ready for this to be the end,” he murmured, almost to himself, “for this to be the twilight of your life, though your life has barely started. You’re ready to give up everything.”

“It’s not the end, it’s the beginning,” I disagreed under my breath.

“I’m not worth it,” he said sadly.

“Do you remember when you told me that I didn’t see myself very clearly?” I asked, raising my eyebrows. “You obviously have the same blindness.”

“I know what I am.”

I sighed.

But his mercurial mood shifted on me. He pursed his lips, and his eyes were probing. He examined my face for a long moment.

“You’re ready now, then?” he asked.

“Um.” I gulped. “Yes?”

He smiled, and inclined his head slowly until his cold lips brushed against the skin just under the corner of my jaw.

“Right now?” he whispered, his breath blowing cool on my neck. I shivered involuntarily.

“Yes,” I whispered, so my voice wouldn’t have a chance to break. If he thought I was bluffing, he was going to be disappointed. I’d already made
this decision, and I was sure. It didn’t matter that my body was rigid as a plank, my hands balled into fists, my breathing erratic…

He chuckled darkly, and leaned away. His face did look disappointed.

“You can’t really believe that I would give in so easily,” he said with a sour edge to his mocking tone.

“A girl can dream.”

His eyebrows rose. “Is that what you dream about? Being a monster?”

“Not exactly,” I said, frowning at his word choice. Monster, indeed. “Mostly I dream about being with you forever.”

His expression changed, softened and saddened by the subtle ache in my voice.

“Bella.” His fingers lightly traced the shape of my lips. “I will stay with you – isn’t that enough?”

I smiled under his fingertips. “Enough for now.”

I read an interview some time ago where Robert Pattinson (the guy who played Edward Cullen in Twilight) mentioned that he wasn’t really a pretty boy or something. He said that he had specific angles where he looks good on camera, and some angles where he looks not so good. I get what he means because there are particular scenes in the movie where I didn’t think he was as handsome as he was in the others (like the “skin of a killer” part).

Well anyway, here are the scenes where I really loved how Edward Cullen looked:

1. “I’m breaking all the rules now anyway…  since I’m going to hell.”

Edward wearing sunglasses… but where’s the sun?! Seriously, it doesn’t make sense for Edward to be wearing sunglasses – if it were sunny enough in Forks to warrant the use of sunglasses, he’d be absent from class for sure. But really, who cares? The moment I saw this part in the trailer (for about 1 second), I was instantly excited to see the entire film. I loved this scene because it’s the first time Edward and Bella went public about their relationship, and he looked so darn proud to be with her.

2. “Hello. I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself last week.”

Even in the book, I’ve always loved the first time they talked in Biology class. And in the movie, Robert Pattinson looked so… tentative. It was exactly how the scene was described in Midnight Sun.

3. “I’m gonna take you to my place tomorrow.”

I loved how Edward looked in this scene. For once, he didn’t look broody or conflicted – he just looked like a normal (albeit very pale)  guy in love. I also like how he straightened out the dent in Bella’s truck too. That would be a very, very handy skill in a boyfriend. 

4. “I’ve always wanted to try one thing.”

He looked so mischievous when he admitted to Bella that he’s been watching her sleep for the past couple of months, then he moved in for the kiss. As Chuck the Movie Guy said, this has got to be one of the slowest attempt at a kiss ever… which makes it all the more interesting, because you can really feel his struggle and his worry that he may not be able to handle getting that close to Bella.

5. Tremble for My Beloved

Okay, that wasn’t a line from the movie, but that’s the song that’s about to play in this scene. That’s because this is the scene where Edward was watching (or actually, staring at) Bella who was standing beside her truck, right before Tyler nearly ran her over. His stare was so intent, so scrutinizing. Plus, he has another very nice gray jacket on. (Do you notice how many gray jackets and gray shirts he wears?)

6. “It’s a private joke. We matriculate a lot.”

Again, he was smiling in this scene when he was showing Bella around his house, and he looked somewhat… vulnerable. Like he wasn’t sure whether Bella would be weirded out or not with the Cullens collection of graduation caps.

7. “I’m on a special… diet.”

This was a very intense scene for Edward. In fact, the way he told Bella that he followed her to Port Angeles but kept a distance until she needed his help was sort of creepy, if it wasn’t him who was admitting that. But I loved his wan smile filled with irony when he told her he was on a special (short pause) diet.

8. “Well… you really shouldn’t have said that.”

I loved nearly all the scenes when Bella was in the Cullens place, but this has got to be best. I loved how he looked embarrassed when Claire de Lune started playing, like he was worried that Bella would think he was a dork for listening to Debussy. Then he looked so intense, and so hesitant, when he pulled Bella in for a dance. I just noticed that he had a stubble on this scene. Does a vampire’s hair (or beard) still grow?

9. “Yeah, I know, it’s the, uh… fluorescents.”

He looked so intense during the entire scene, which makes perfect sense if you’ve read Midnight Sun. Edward was trying very, very hard to understand Bella without the benefit of being able to read her mind. Then, when Bella brought up the difference on the color of his eyes, he looked so baffled at himself with the very lame excuse he gave about the, uh, fluorescents. I had to giggle when I first saw it.

10. “I had an… adrenaline rush. It’s very common. You can Google it.”

I found this scene really hilarious. I loved how Bella angrily said, “You don’t even say hi to me,” and he paused and said, “Hi.” Then he gave this weird explanation for how he saved her life.

11. “What if I’m not the hero? What if I’m… the bad guy?”

I like how he paused when he said “What if I’m… the bad guy?” He looked so serious, then he smiled when Bella told him that they should hang out.

12. Bella’s Lullaby

Okay, so this wasn’t the scene where Edward was playing the piano for her, but the treetop scene where the beginning of Bella’s Lullaby could be heard in the background. I like this scene because you finally see them fall in love with each other and not just stare at each other. I really like Edward’s bracelet with the Cullen crest, which I first noticed in the Biology class (when he peeked in the microscope). It makes him look like a rockstar.

13. “I’ll make it go away, Bella. I’ll make it go away.”

I like this scene because you can really see the struggle in his eyes. He didn’t want her to be a vampire, but he didn’t want to be the one to suck the venom out for fear that he wouldn’t be able to stop.

14. “Is it not enough… just to have a long and happy life with me?”

Edward actually looked a bit like some old movie star in this scene, I just can’t remember who. I love how he grabbed Bella and stood her feet on top of his so that she could dance. I also love his sense of humor when he pretended to bite Bella, and his twinkling eyes when he delivered this line.

15. “Was I supposed to let her die?”

This was a barely heard line, but this was one of my favorites because Robert Pattinson’s British accent came out accidentally. Rosalie was mad at Edward for saving Bella because of the threat of exposure, and Edward asked, “Was I supposed to let her die?” in that British accent.

As I mentioned earlier, Twilight (both the saga and the movie) is currently my favorite guilty pleasure. I did 2 blog entries already of my favorite movie quotes, so I thought I’d go ahead and write 2 more entries on my favorite book quotes. Here are my favorites from chapters 1 to 12. You can check out part 2 here.

—-

Here’s part of the conversation between Charlie and Bella during their drive to Forks from the airport. Charlie just told her about the truck Billy was selling.

“What year is it?” I could see from his change of expression that this was the question he was hoping I wouldn’t ask.

“Well, Billy’s done a lot of work on the engine – it’s only a few years old, really.”

I hoped he didn’t think so little of me as to believe I would give up that easily. “When did he buy it?”

“He bought it in 1984, I think.”

“Did he buy it new?”

“Well, no. I think it was new in the early sixties – or late fifties at the earliest,” he admitted sheepishly.

“Ch – Dad, I don’t really know anything about cars. I wouldn’t be able to fix it if anything went wrong, and I couldn’t afford a mechanic…”

“Really, Bella, the thing runs great. They don’t build them like that anymore.” The thing, I thought to myself… it had possibilities – as a nickname, at the very least.

—-

This is one of the first conversations between “chess-club” Eric and Bella.

“So, this is a lot different than Phoenix, huh?” he asked.

“Very.”

“It doesn’t rain much there, does it?”

“Three or four times a year.”

“Wow, what must that be like?” he wondered.

“Sunny,” I told him.

“You don’t look very tan.”

“My mother is part albino.”

—-

Here’s how Bella described Mike. It’s mean though.

Mike, who was taking on the qualities of a golden retriever, walked faithfully by my side to class.

—-

Here’s the discussion between Carlisle, Bella and Edward at the hospital after the accident.

“Can’t I go back to school?” I asked, imagining Charlie trying to be attentive.

“Maybe you should take it easy today.”

I glanced at Edward. “Does he get to go to school?”

“Someone has to spread the good news that we survived,” Edward said smugly.

—-

Here’s Bella and Edward’s argument at the hospital. I really liked how this scene played out in the movie. A lot of the lines used were direct quotes as well.

“Nobody will believe that, you know.” His voice held an edge of derision now.

“I’m not going to tell anybody.” I said each word slowly, carefully controlling my anger.

Surprise flitted across his face. “Then why does it matter?”

“It matters to me,” I insisted. “I don’t like to lie – so there’d better be a good reason why I’m doing it.”

“Can’t you just thank me and get over it?”

“Thank you.” I waited, fuming and expectant.

“You’re not going to let it go, are you?”

“No.”

“In that case… I hope you enjoy disappointment.”

—-

This is one of my favorite scenes, when Edward came up to Bella the day after watching her turn down Tyler.

“I was wondering if, a week from Saturday – you know, the day of the spring dance -”

“Are you trying to be funny?” I interrupted him, wheeling toward him. My face got drenched as I looked up at his expression.

His eyes were wickedly amused. “Will you please allow me to finish?”

I bit my lip and clasped my hands together, interlocking my fingers, so I couldn’t do anything rash.

“I heard you say you were going to Seattle that day, and I was wondering if you wanted a ride.”

That was unexpected.

“What?” I wasn’t sure what he was getting at.

“Do you want a ride to Seattle?”

“With who?” I asked, mystified.

“Myself, obviously.” He enunciated every syllable, as if he were talking to someone mentally handicapped.

I was still stunned. “Why?”

“Well, I was planning to go to Seattle in the next few weeks, and, to be honest, I’m not sure if your truck can make it.”

“My truck works just fine, thank you very much for your concern.” I started to walk again, but I was too surprised to maintain the same level of anger.

“But can your truck make it there on one tank of gas?” He matched my pace again.

“I don’t see how that is any of your business.” Stupid, shiny Volvo owner.

“The wasting of finite resources is everyone’s business.”

“Honestly, Edward.” I felt a thrill go through me as I said his name, and I hated it. “I can’t keep up with you. I thought you didn’t want to be my friend.”

“I said it would be better if we weren’t friends, not that I didn’t want to be.”

“Oh, thanks, now that’s all cleared up.” Heavy sarcasm. I realized I had stopped walking again. We were under the shelter of the cafeteria roof now, so I could more easily look at his face. Which certainly didn’t help my clarity of thought.

“It would be more… prudent for you not to be my friend,” he explained. “But I’m tired of trying to stay away from you, Bella.”

His eyes were gloriously intense as he uttered that last sentence, his voice smoldering. I couldn’t remember how to breathe.

“Will you go with me to Seattle?” he asked, still intense.

I couldn’t speak yet, so I just nodded.

He smiled briefly, and then his face became serious.

“You really should stay away from me,” he warned. “I’ll see you in class.”

—-

This is another of my favorite scenes, when Edward asked Bella to sit with him during lunch for the first time.

“Edward Cullen is staring at you again,” Jessica said, finally breaking through my abstraction with his name. “I wonder why he’s sitting alone today.”

My head snapped up. I followed her gaze to see Edward, smiling crookedly, staring at me from an empty table across the cafeteria from where he usually sat. Once he’d caught my eye, he raised one hand and motioned with his index finger for me to join him. As I stared in disbelief, he winked.

“Does he mean you?” Jessica asked with insulting astonishment in her voice.

“Maybe he needs help with his Biology homework,” I muttered for her benefit. “Um, I’d better go see what he wants.”

I could feel her staring after me as I walked away.

When I reached his table, I stood behind the chair across from him, unsure.

“Why don’t you sit with me today?” he asked, smiling.

I sat down automatically, watching him with caution. He was still smiling. It was hard to believe that someone so beautiful could be real. I was afraid that he might disappear in a sudden puff of smoke, and I would wake up.

He seemed to be waiting for me to say something. “This is different,” I finally managed.

“Well…” He paused, and then the rest of the words followed in a rush. “I decided as long as I was going to hell, I might as well do it thoroughly.”

—-

Here’s more from the conversation during their first lunch together.

He chuckled. “What are your theories?”

I blushed. I had been vacillating during the last month between Bruce Wayne and Peter Parker. There was no way I was going to own up to that.

“Won’t you tell me?” he asked, tilting his head to one side with a shockingly tempting smile.

I shook my head. “Too embarrassing.”

“That’s really frustrating, you know,” he complained.

“No,” I disagreed quickly, my eyes narrowing, “I can’t imagine why that would be frustrating at all – just because someone refuses to tell you what they’re thinking, even if all the while they’re making cryptic little remarks specifically designed to keep you up at night wondering what they could possibly mean… now, why would that be frustrating?”

He grimaced.

“Or better,” I continued, the pent-up annoyance flowing freely now, “say that person also did a wide range of bizarre things – from saving your life under impossible circumstances one day to treating you like a pariah the next, and he never explained any of that, either, even after he promised. That, also, would be very non-frustrating.”

—-

This is still from the same lunch scene, and I’m including this because of the superhero quote which was also used in the movie. However, in the book, Edward was smiling when he said the line. It’s weird, because I can’t seem to picture it that way. I guess I’m stuck with Robert Pattinson’s intense, broody delivery of “What if I’m… the bad guy?” Not that I’m complaining.

“Please tell me just one little theory.” His eyes still smoldered at me.

“Um, well, bitten by a radioactive spider?” Was he a hypnotist, too? Or was I just a hopeless pushover?

“That’s not very creative,” he scoffed.

“I’m sorry, that’s all I’ve got,” I said, miffed.

“You’re not even close,” he teased.

“No spiders?”

“Nope.”

“And no radioactivity?”

“None.”

“Dang,” I sighed.

“Kryptonite doesn’t bother me, either,” he chuckled.

“You’re not supposed to laugh, remember?”

He struggled to compose his face.

“I’ll figure it out eventually,” I warned him.

“I wish you wouldn’t try.” He was serious again.

“Because… ?”

“What if I’m not a superhero? What if I’m the bad guy?” He smiled playfully, but his eyes were impenetrable.

—-

This is still from the same scene. If I read Twilight during my school days, I would probably be quoting the ditching is healthy line everyday.

I jumped to my feet. “We’re going to be late.”

“I’m not going to class today,” he said, twirling the lid so fast it was just a blur.

“Why not?”

“It’s healthy to ditch class now and then.”

—-

This the scene where Bella nearly fainted during blood typing. I like Bella’s humor.

“Bella.” Edward’s voice was right beside me, relieved now. “Can you hear me?”

“No,” I groaned. “Go away.”

—-

What the movie lacked I think was a bit more of Edward and Bella’s casual bantering. But again, I’m not complaining.

“You were right,” I moaned, letting my eyes close.

“I usually am – but about what in particular this time?”

“Ditching is healthy.” I practiced breathing evenly.

“You scared me for a minute there,” he admitted after a pause. His tone made it sound like he was confessing a humiliating weakness. “I thought Newton was dragging your dead body off to bury it in the woods.”

“Ha ha.” I still had my eyes closed, but I was feeling more normal every minute.

“Honestly – I’ve seen corpses with better color. I was concerned that I might have to avenge your murder.”

—-

Here’s another funny scene with Edward and Bella snapping at each other.

We were near the parking lot now. I veered left, toward my truck. Something caught my jacket, yanking me back.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked, outraged. He was gripping a fistful of my jacket in one hand.

I was confused. “I’m going home.”

“Didn’t you hear me promise to take you safely home? Do you think I’m going to let you drive in your condition?” His voice was still indignant.

“What condition? And what about my truck?” I complained.

“I’ll have Alice drop it off after school.” He was towing me toward his car now, pulling me by my jacket. It was all I could do to keep from falling backward. He’d probably just drag me along anyway if I did.

“Let go!” I insisted. He ignored me. I staggered along sideways across the wet sidewalk until we reached the Volvo. Then he finally freed me – I stumbled against the passenger door.

“You are so pushy!” I grumbled.

—-

Another of their funny scenes.

“How old are you, Bella?” His voice sounded frustrated for some reason I couldn’t imagine. He’d stopped the car, and I realized we were at Charlie’s house already. The rain was so heavy that I could barely see the house at all. It was like the car was submerged under a river.

“I’m seventeen,” I responded, a little confused.

“You don’t seem seventeen.”

His tone was reproachful; it made me laugh.

“What?” he asked, curious again.

“My mom always says I was born thirty-five years old and that I get more middle-aged every year.”

—-

Another of their interesting scenes, which makes more sense once you read the draft of Midnight Sun (a retelling of Twilight from the perspective of Edward).

“Would she extend the same courtesy to you, do you think? No matter who your choice was?” He was suddenly intent, his eyes searching mine.

“I-I think so,” I stuttered. “But she’s the parent, after all. It’s a little bit different.”

“No one too scary then,” he teased.

I grinned in response. “What do you mean by scary? Multiple facial piercings and extensive tattoos?”

“That’s one definition, I suppose.”

“What’s your definition?”

But he ignored my question and asked me another. “Do you think that I could be scary?” He raised one eyebrow, and the faint trace of a smile lightened his face.

I thought for a moment, wondering whether the truth or a lie would go over better. I decided to go with the truth. “Hmmm… I think you could be, if you wanted to.”

—-

Here’s the scene where Jacob told Bella that the Cullens were vampires.

I tried to keep my voice casual. “So how does it fit in with the Cullens? Are they like the cold ones your greatgrandfather met?”

“No.” He paused dramatically. “They are the same ones.”

—-

This passage was the part where I was able to totally connect to Bella’s character.

That had always been my way, though. Making decisions was the painful part for me, the part I agonized over. But once the decision was made, I simply followed through – usually with relief that the choice was made. Sometimes the relief was tainted by despair, like my decision to come to Forks. But it was still better than wrestling with the alternatives.

—-

Here’s another of my favorite scenes, when Edward saved Bella in Port Angeles.

“Are you okay?” I asked, surprised at how hoarse my voice sounded.

“No,” he said curtly, and his tone was livid.

I sat in silence, watching his face while his blazing eyes stared straight ahead, until the car came to a sudden stop. I glanced around, but it was too dark to see anything beside the vague outline of dark trees crowding the roadside. We weren’t in town anymore.

“Bella?” he asked, his voice tight, controlled.

“Yes?” My voice was still rough. I tried to clear my throat quietly.

“Are you all right?” He still didn’t look at me, but the fury was plain on his face.

“Yes,” I croaked softly.

“Distract me, please,” he ordered.

“I’m sorry, what?”

He exhaled sharply. “Just prattle about something unimportant until I calm down,” he clarified, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger.

“Um.” I wracked my brain for something trivial. “I’m going to run over Tyler Crowley tomorrow before school?”

He was still squeezing his eyes closed, but the corner of his mouth twitched. “Why?”

“He’s telling everyone that he’s taking me to prom – either he’s insane or he’s still trying to make up for almost killing me last… well, you remember it, and he thinks prom is somehow the correct way to do this. So I figure if I endanger his life, then we’re even, and he can’t keep trying to make amends. I don’t need enemies and maybe Lauren would back off if he left me alone. I might have to total his Sentra, though. If he doesn’t have a ride he can’t take anyone to prom…” I babbled on.

“I heard about that.” He sounded a bit more composed.

“You did?” I asked in disbelief, my previous irritation flaring. “If he’s paralyzed from the neck down, he can’t go to the prom, either,” I muttered, refining my plan.

Edward sighed, and finally opened his eyes.

“Better?”

“Not really.”

I waited, but he didn’t speak again. He leaned his head back against the seat, staring at the ceiling of the car. His face was rigid.

“What’s wrong?” My voice came out in a whisper.

“Sometimes I have a problem with my temper, Bella.” He was whispering, too, and as he stared out the window, his eyes narrowed into slits. “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,” he continued, “that’s what I’m trying to convince myself.”

—-

Here’s the ever famous dazzling quote. I don’t think they used the word “dazzle” in the movie though.

“You really shouldn’t do that to people,” I criticized. “It’s hardly fair.”

“Do what?”

“Dazzle them like that – she’s probably hyperventilating in the kitchen right now.” He seemed confused.

“Oh, come on,” I said dubiously. “You have to know the effect you have on people.”

He tilted his head to one side, and his eyes were curious. “I dazzle people?”

“You haven’t noticed? Do you think everybody gets their way so easily?”

He ignored my questions. “Do I dazzle you?”

“Frequently,” I admitted.

—-

Again, some more banter.

“Okay, then.” I glared at him, and continued slowly. “Let’s say, hypothetically of course, that… someone… could know what people are thinking, read minds, you know – with a few exceptions.”

“Just one exception,” he corrected, “hypothetically.”

“All right, with one exception, then.” I was thrilled that he was playing along, but I tried to seem casual. “How does that work? What are the limitations? How would… that someone… find someone else at exactly the right time? How would he know she was in trouble?” I wondered if my convoluted questions even made sense.

“Hypothetically?” he asked.

“Sure.”

“Well, if… that someone…”

“Let’s call him ‘Joe,’” I suggested.

He smiled wryly. “Joe, then. If Joe had been paying attention, the timing wouldn’t have needed to be quite so exact.” He shook his head, rolling his eyes. “Only you could get into trouble in a town this small. You would have devastated their crime rate statistics for a decade, you know.”

“We were speaking of a hypothetical case,” I reminded him frostily.

He laughed at me, his eyes warm.

“Yes, we were,” he agreed. “Shall we call you ‘Jane’?”

—-

The way this scene was written in the movie was close enough, and captured the humor of the situation.

“Why do you think you can’t hear me?” I asked curiously.

He looked at me, his eyes enigmatic. “I don’t know,” he murmured. “The only guess I have is that maybe your mind doesn’t work the same way the rest of theirs do. Like your thoughts are on the AM frequency and I’m only getting FM.” He grinned at me, suddenly amused.

“My mind doesn’t work right? I’m a freak?” The words bothered me more than they should – probably because his speculation hit home. I’d always suspected as much, and it embarrassed me to have it confirmed.

“I hear voices in my mind and you’re worried that you’re the freak,” he laughed.

—-

Here is the first time Edward and Bella talked about Jacob.

“Tricked him how?” he asked.

“I tried to flirt – it worked better than I thought it would.” Disbelief colored my tone as I remembered.

“I’d like to have seen that.” He chuckled darkly. “And you accused me of dazzling people – poor Jacob Black.”

—-

Here’s the scene when Bella admitted that she knew Edward was a vampire.

“No. Nothing fit. Most of it was kind of silly. And then…” I stopped.

“What?”

“I decided it didn’t matter,” I whispered.

“It didn’t matter?” His tone made me look up – I had finally broken through his carefully composed mask. His face was incredulous, with just a hint of the anger I’d feared.

“No,” I said softly. “It doesn’t matter to me what you are.”

A hard, mocking edge entered his voice. “You don’t care if I’m a monster? If I’m not human!”

“No.”

—-

The first part was used repeatedly in the trailers. Again, the scene was a bit lighter in the book, but I can’t read it now without thinking of how intense Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart were. Once more, not that I’m complaining.

“How old are you?”

“Seventeen,” he answered promptly.

“And how long have you been seventeen?”

His lips twitched as he stared at the road. “A while,” he admitted at last.

“Okay.” I smiled, pleased that he was still being honest with me. He stared down at me with watchful eyes, much as he had before, when he was worried I would go into shock. I smiled wider in encouragement, and he frowned.

“Don’t laugh – but how can you come out during the daytime?”

He laughed anyway. “Myth.”

“Burned by the sun?”

“Myth.”

“Sleeping in coffins?”

“Myth.” He hesitated for a moment, and a peculiar tone entered his voice. “I can’t sleep.”

It took me a minute to absorb that. “At all?”

“Never,” he said, his voice nearly inaudible. He turned to look at me with a wistful expression. The golden eyes held mine, and I lost my train of thought. I stared at him until he looked away.

—-

I think I must have missed the importance of this part when I first read Twilight. I have to agree with Robert Pattinson’s observation that while reading the book, you seem to have the sense of security that Edward is in control, that he wasn’t really struggling that much. But reading Midnight Sun, you realize that he was, and that’s how Robert Pattinson portrayed it. He decided to make the character a bit more edgy, more dangerous, more conflicted.

“Tell me why you hunt animals instead of people,” I suggested, my voice still tinged with desperation. I realized my eyes were wet, and I fought against the grief that was trying to overpower me.

“I don’t want to be a monster.” His voice was very low.

“But animals aren’t enough?”

He paused. “I can’t be sure, of course, but I’d compare it to living on tofu and soy milk; we call ourselves vegetarians, our little inside joke. It doesn’t completely satiate the hunger – or rather thirst. But it keeps us strong enough to resist. Most of the time.”

—-

In this scene, Edward seems to finally realize that Bella was beginning to have feelings for him too.

“You might have called me,” I decided.

He was puzzled. “But I knew you were safe.”

“But I didn’t know where you were. I -” I hesitated, dropping my eyes.

“What?” His velvety voice was compelling.

“I didn’t like it. Not seeing you. It makes me anxious, too.” I blushed to be saying this out loud.

He was quiet. I glanced up, apprehensive, and saw that his expression was pained.

“Ah,” he groaned quietly. “This is wrong.”

I couldn’t understand his response. “What did I say?”

“Don’t you see, Bella? It’s one thing for me to make myself miserable, but a wholly other thing for you to be so involved.” He turned his anguished eyes to the road, his words flowing almost too fast for me to understand. “I don’t want to hear that you feel that way.” His voice was low but urgent. His words cut me. “It’s wrong. It’s not safe. I’m dangerous, Bella – please, grasp that.”

“No.” I tried very hard not to look like a sulky child.

—-

Okay, of course I cannot NOT include this part.

About three things I was absolutely positive. First, Edward was a vampire. Second, there was part of him – and I didn’t know how potent that part might be – that thirsted for my blood. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.

—-

Here’s from the first time they went to school together. I liked it better in the movie, with “Spotlight” playing on the background and Edward in shades and all.

He turned to smirk at me. “What, no twenty questions today?”

“Do my questions bother you?” I asked, relieved.

“Not as much as your reactions do.” He looked like he was joking, but I couldn’t be sure.

I frowned. “Do I react badly?”

“No, that’s the problem. You take everything so coolly – it’s unnatural. It makes me wonder what you’re really thinking.”

“I always tell you what I’m really thinking.”

“You edit,” he accused.

“Not very much.”

“Enough to drive me insane.”

—-

I loved this part too. Thanks to Jessica’s inquisitiveness, Edward would hear how Bella felt about him.

“I guess I’ll see you in Trig.” She gave me a meaningful look, and I suppressed a sigh. What on earth was I going to tell her?

“Yeah, I’ll see you then.”

She walked away, pausing twice to peek back over her shoulder at us.

“What are you going to tell her?” Edward murmured.

“Hey, I thought you couldn’t read my mind!” I hissed.

“I can’t,” he said, startled. Then understanding brightened his eyes. “However, I can read hers – she’ll be waiting to ambush you in class.”

I groaned as I pulled off his jacket and handed it to him, replacing it with my own. He folded it over his arm.

“So what are you going to tell her?”

“A little help?” I pleaded. “What does she want to know?”

He shook his head, grinning wickedly. “That’s not fair.”

“No, you not sharing what you know – now that’s not fair.”

He deliberated for a moment as we walked. We stopped outside the door to my first class.
“She wants to know if we’re secretly dating. And she wants to know how you feel about me,” he finally said.

“Yikes. What should I say?” I tried to keep my expression very innocent. People were passing us on their way to class, probably staring, but I was barely aware of them.

“Hmmm.” He paused to catch a stray lock of hair that was escaping the twist on my neck and wound it back into place. My heart spluttered hyperactively. “I suppose you could say yes to the first… if you don’t mind – it’s easier than any other explanation.”

“I don’t mind,” I said in a faint voice.

“And as for her other question… well, I’ll be listening to hear the answer to that one myself.”

—-

Here’s what Bella said.

“So you like him, then?” She wasn’t about to give up.

“Yes,” I said curtly.

“I mean, do you really like him?” she urged.

“Yes,” I said again, blushing. I hoped that detail wouldn’t register in her thoughts.

She’d had enough with the single syllable answers. “How much do you like him?”

“Too much,” I whispered back. “More than he likes me. But I don’t see how I can help that.”

—-

And here’s how Edward felt about it.

“Do you truly believe that you care more for me than I do for you?” he murmured, leaning closer to me as he spoke, his dark golden eyes piercing.

I tried to remember how to exhale. I had to look away before it came back to me. “You’re doing it again,” I muttered.

His eyes opened wide with surprise. “What?”

“Dazzling me,” I admitted, trying to concentrate as I looked back at him.

“Oh.” He frowned.

“It’s not your fault,” I sighed. “You can’t help it.”

“Are you going to answer the question?”

I looked down. “Yes.”

“Yes, you are going to answer, or yes, you really think that?” He was irritated again.

“Yes, I really think that.” I kept my eyes down on the table, my eyes tracing the pattern of the faux wood grains printed on the laminate. The silence dragged on. I stubbornly refused to be the first to break it this time, fighting hard against the temptation to peek at his expression.

Finally he spoke, his voice velvet soft. “You’re wrong.”

—-

Here’s an ironic barb from Edward.

“Of all the things about me that could frighten you, you worry about my driving.”

—-

Here’s another sample of their light-hearted bantering.

“Why did you go to that Goat Rocks place last weekend… to hunt? Charlie said it wasn’t a good place to hike, because of bears.”

He stared at me as if I was missing something very obvious.

“Bears?” I gasped, and he smirked. “You know, bears are not in season,” I added sternly, to hide my shock.

“If you read carefully, the laws only cover hunting with weapons,” he informed me. He watched my face with enjoyment as that slowly sank in.

“Bears?” I repeated with difficulty.

“Grizzly is Emmett’s favorite.” His voice was still offhand, but his eyes were scrutinizing my reaction. I tried to pull myself together.

“Hmmm,” I said, taking another bite of pizza as an excuse to look down. I chewed slowly, and then took a long drink of Coke without looking up.

“So,” I said after a moment, finally meeting his now-anxious gaze. “What’s your favorite?”

He raised an eyebrow and the corners of his mouth turned down in disapproval. “Mountain lion.”

“Ah,” I said in a politely disinterested tone, looking for my soda again.

“Of course,” he said, and his tone mirrored mine, “we have to be careful not to impact the environment with injudicious hunting. We try to focus on areas with an overpopulation of predators – ranging as far away as we need. There’s always plenty of deer and elk here, and they’ll do, but where’s the fun in that?” He smiled teasingly.

“Where indeed,” I murmured around another bite of pizza.

“Early spring is Emmett’s favorite bear season – they’re just coming out of hibernation, so they’re more irritable.” He smiled at some remembered joke.

“Nothing more fun than an irritated grizzly bear,” I agreed, nodding.

—-

I’m including this quote because, well, the word “twilight” was mentioned and discussed.

“It’s twilight,” Edward murmured, looking at the western horizon, obscured as it was with clouds. His voice was thoughtful, as if his mind were somewhere far away. I stared at him as he gazed unseeingly out the windshield.

I was still staring when his eyes suddenly shifted back to mine.

“It’s the safest time of day for us,” he said, answering the unspoken question in my eyes. “The easiest time. But also the saddest, in a way… the end of another day, the return of the night. Darkness is so predictable, don’t you think?” He smiled wistfully.
“I like the night. Without the dark, we’d never see the stars.” I frowned. “Not that you see them here much.”

—-

Here’s the second time Jacob and Bella talked about Edward.

“Nice ride.” Jacob’s voice was admiring. “I didn’t recognize the driver, though. I thought I knew most of the kids around here.”

I nodded noncommittally, keeping my eyes down as I flipped sandwiches.

“My dad seemed to know him from somewhere.”

“Jacob, could you hand me some plates? They’re in the cupboard over the sink.”

“Sure.”

He got the plates in silence. I hoped he would let it drop now.

“So who was it?” he asked, setting two plates on the counter next to me.

I sighed in defeat. “Edward Cullen.”

To my surprise, he laughed. I glanced up at him. He looked a little embarrassed. “Guess that explains it, then,” he said. “I wondered why my dad was acting so strange.”

—-

Here’s part of a conversation between Charlie and Bella.

“I didn’t get a chance to talk to you tonight. How was your day?”

“Good.” I hesitated with one foot on the first stair, searching for details I could safely share. “My badminton team won all four games.”

“Wow, I didn’t know you could play badminton.”

“Well, actually I can’t, but my partner is really good,” I admitted.

—-

Here’s part of the same conversation between Charlie and Bella, and the essence of this line was included in the movie when Bella told Charlie that “I don’t mind being alone. I mean, I guess I’m kinda like my dad in that way.”

“I’ve never minded being alone – I’m too much like you.” I winked at him, and he smiled his crinkly-eyed smile.

—-

Why is Edward perceived as the perfect man? Because he asks a lot of questions and listens to Bella’s answers.

He wanted to know about people today: more about Renée, her hobbies, what we’d done in our free time together. And then the one grandmother I’d known, my few school friends – embarrassing me when he asked about boys I’d dated. I was relieved that I’d never really dated anyone, so that particular conversation couldn’t last long. He seemed as surprised as Jessica and Angela by my lack of romantic history.

“So you never met anyone you wanted?” he asked in a serious tone that made me wonder what he was thinking about.

I was grudgingly honest. “Not in Phoenix.”

As I mentioned earlier, Twilight (both the saga and the movie) is currently my favorite guilty pleasure, so I decided to write some of my favorite movie quotes. I got all these from watching the movie again for the fifth time in three days. Anyway, here are my favorites from the second half of the movie. You can check out my favorites from the first half here. By the way, sorry if some of the quotes are pretty long – when I like a scene, I couldn’t help but transcribe everything. Oh well.

———-

Edward: This is why we don’t show ourselves in the sunlight. People would know we’re different. (opens jacket and faces Bella) This is what I am.
Bella: It’s like diamonds… You’re beautiful.
Edward: (looks disgusted at himself) Beautiful? This is the skin of a killer… I’m a killer.
Bella: I don’t believe that.
Edward: That’s because you believe in a lie, a camouflage. I’m the world’s most dangerous predator. Everything about me invites you in… my voice, my face, even my smell. As if I would’ve needed any of that. (runs off in a blur and reappears a few meters away) As if you can outrun me! (pulls off a tree and throws it without difficulty) As if you can fight me off…. I’m designed to kill.
Bella: I don’t care.
Edward: I’ve killed people before.
Bella: It don’t matter.
Edward: I wanted to kill you… I’ve never wanted a human’s blood so much in my life…
Bella: I trust you.
Edward: Don’t.
Bella: I’m here, I trust you.
Edward: My family, we’re different from others of our kind. We only hunt animals. We learned to control our thirst. But you… your scent… it’s like a drug to me… like my own personal brand of heroin.
Bella: Why did you hate me so much when we met?
Edward: I did. Only for I wanted you so badly. I still don’t know if I can control myself.
Bella: I know you can.
Edward: I can’t read your mind. You have to tell me what you’re thinking.
Bella: Now I’m afraid.
Edward: Good.
Bella: I’m not afraid of you. I’m only afraid of losing you, if you would disappear.
Edward: You don’t know how long I’ve waited for you… (puts his hand on her neck) So the lion fell in love with the lamb.
Bella: What a stupid lamb.
Edward: What a sick, masochistic lion.

———-

Bella: (narrating) About three things I was absolutely positive. First, Edward was a vampire. Second, there was a part of him, and I didn’t know how dominant that part may be, that thirsted for my blood. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.

———-

Angela: (putting her camera lens down) Oh.. my… God… (sees Edward opening the door to his Volvo for Bella)
Bella: (uncomfortably) You know, everyone’s staring.
Edward: (looking like he was enjoying himself) Not that guy… No, he just looked. (puts his hand on Bella’s shoulder) I’m breaking all the rules now anyway… (pulls her closer to him) since I’m going to hell.

———-

Bella: Does a person have to be dying… to become like you?
Edward: No… That’s just Carlisle… He’d never do this to someone who had another choice.
Bella: So how long have you been like this?
Edward: Since 1918.. That’s when Carlisle found me… dying of Spanish influenza.
Bella: What was it like?
Edward: The venom was excruciating. But what Carlisle did was much harder. Not many of us have the restraint to do that.
Bella: But didn’t you just have to… bite?
Edward: Not exactly… When we taste… human blood… a sort of frenzy begins. It’s almost impossible to stop.
Bella: That’s what Carlisle did?
Edward: First with me, then with his wife, Esme.
Bella: So is Carlisle the real reason why you don’t… kill people?
Edward: No, he’s not the only reason… I don’t want to be a monster. My family… we think of ourselves as vegetarians. Cause we only survive on the blood of animals. But it’s like… a human only living on tofu. It keeps you strong, but it never… fully satisfies. Wouldn’t be like drinking your blood for instance.

———-

Bella: (surprised, as Edward jumps off her truck) Could you act human? I’ve got neighbors.
Edward: I’m gonna take you to my place tomorrow. (pulls on dent)
Bella: Thanks… Wait, with your family?
Edward: Yeah.
Bella: What if they don’t like me?
Edward: So you’re worried not because you’ll be in a houseful of vampires, but because you think they might not approve of you? (laughs)
Bella: I’m glad I amuse you.

———-

Bella: Hey… Come to visit your truck?
Jacob: Looks good. Got that the dent out.
Billy: Actually, we came to visit your flatscreen. First Mariners game of the season…. Plus Jacob here keeps bugging me about seeing you again.
Jacob. Great, Dad. Thanks.
Billy: Just keeping it real, son.

———-

Bella: (upon entering the Cullens house) This is incredible… So light and open, you know?
Edward: What did you expect? Coffins and dungeons and moats?
Bella: No, not the moats.
Edward: Not the moats.

———-

Rosalie: Is she even Italian?
Emmett: Her name’s Bella.
Carlisle: I’m sure she’ll love it no matter what.
Rosalie: Get a whiff of that… Here comes the human.
Esme: (runs up to Bella) Bella! We’re making Italiano for you.
Bella: Oh…
Edward: Bella, this is Esme, my mother for all intents and purposes.
Bella: Buon giorno?
Esme: Molto bene!
Carlisle: You’ve given us an excuse to use the kitchen for the first time.
Esme: I hope you’re hungry.
Bella: Yeah, absolutely!
Edward: (with a look at Esme) She already ate.
Rosalie: (breaks the bowl she’s holding) Perfect!
Bella: Yeah, it’s just that I… I know you guys don’t eat.
Esme: Of course, that’s very considerate of you.
Edward: Just ignore Rosalie. I do.
Rosalie: Yeah! Let’s just keep pretending like this isn’t dangerous for all of us.
Bella: I would never tell anybody anything.
Carlisle: She knows that.
Emmett: Yeah, well the problem is… you two have gone public now so…
Esme: Emmett!
Rosalie: No, she should know. The entire family will be implicated if this ends badly.
Bella: Badly as in… I, I would become the meal. (Edward and the others laugh, while Alice comes in through the window)
Alice: Hi Bella! I’m Alice. (gives her a hug) Oh, you do smell good.
Edward: Alice, what are you…?
Alice: It’s okay, Bella and I are gonna be great friends.
Carlisle: Sorry… Jasper is our newest vegetarian. It’s a little difficult for him.
Jasper: (with a pained expression) It’s a pleasure to meet you.
Alice: It’s okay, Jasper. You won’t hurt her.
Edward: (with an incredulous look) Alright, uh… I’m gonna take you for a tour of the rest of the house.
Alice: Well, I’ll see you soon.
Bella: Okay. (Edward guides her away with a backward look at his family)
Esme: So cute!
Alice: I know!
Carlisle: I think that went well.
Esme: (to Rosalie, pointing to the mess) Clean this up. Now.

———-

Bella: (looking at a framed mural) Graduation caps?
Edward: Yeah, uh… It’s a private joke. We matriculate a lot.

———-

Edward: (standing outside his room) Uh, yeah, this is my room.
Bella: (looking around) No bed?
Edward: Uh, no, I don’t… I don’t sleep.
Bella: Ever?
Edward: No, not at all.

———-

Bella: I can’t dance.
Edward: Hmm… Well I can always make you.
Bella: I’m not afraid of you.
Edward: (smiles) Well, you really shouldn’t have said that.

———-

Edward: You better hold on tight, spidermonkey. (stops at the top of one tree) Do you trust me?
Bella: (tightens grip on Edward) In theory.

———-

Bella: (looking around at the top of a treetop) This isn’t real. This kind of stuff just doesn’t exist.
Edward: It does in my world.

———-

Mike: (to Bella) So you… You and Cullen huh? I don’t like it… I mean, I don’t know, he looks at you as if you’re something to eat. (Bella smiles wanly)

———-

Charlie: I leave you alone too much. You should be around people.
Bella: I don’t mind being alone. I mean, I guess I’m kinda like my dad in that way.

———-

Bella: (on the phone) I really like it here in Forks.
Renee: What?!
Bella: Forks is growing on me.
Renee: Could a guy have anything to do with that?
Bella: Well… yeah.
Renee: I knew it. Tell me everything. Is he a jock? Indie? I bet he’s smart. Is he smart?

———-

Bella: How did you get in here?
Edward: The window.
Bella: Do you do that a lot?
Edward: Just the past couple of months… I like watching you sleep. It’s, uh… kind of fascinating to me. Um… I’ve always wanted to try one thing. (slowly moves toward Bella) You should stay very still… Don’t move.

———-

Bella: I thought you liked the Cullens.
Charlie: I thought you didn’t like any of the boys in town.
Bella: Edward doesn’t live… in town… (Charlie gives her a look).. technically…He’s right outside.
Charlie: He is?
Bella: Yeah, he wanted to meet you… officially.
Charlie: Alright. (loads gun) Bring him in.
Bella: Hey, could you be nice? He’s… he’s important. (Charlie makes a sign like a halo on his head).
Edward: Chief Swan, I wanted to formally introduce myself. I’m Edward Cullens.
Charlie: Hi Edward.
Edward: Bella won’t be out too late tonight. She’s just gonna play baseball with my family.
Charlie: Baseball?
Edward: Yes sir, that’s the plan.
Charlie: (looking at Bella, amused) Bella’s gonna play baseball… Well… good luck with that.
Edward: I’ll take good care of her I promise. (starts to leave with Bella)
Charlie: (to Bella) Hey… still got that pepper spray?
———-

Bella: Since when do vampires like baseball?
Edward: Well… it’s the American past time.

———-

James: (smelling Bella) You brought a snack.

———-

Edward: (throws Bella’s jacket) Rosalie, Esme… Could you put this on so that the tracker won’t follow Bella’s scent?
Rosalie: Why? What is she to me?
Carlisle: Rosalie… Bella’s with Edward. She’s part of this family now. We protect our family.

———-

Edward: (before Bella leaves with Jasper and Alice) When everything’s done, I’m gonna come and get you… Bella… you are my life now.

———-

Edward: (on the phone with Bella, after they lost James) I’ll do whatever it takes to make you safe again.

———-

James: (filming Bella’s reaction after he threw her to a post) Beautiful. Very visually dynamic…. I chose my stage well.

———-

James: (hitting Edward) You’re alone… Cause you’re faster than the others. But not stronger.
Edward: I’m strong enough to kill you.

———-

Carlisle: (working over Bella and looking at the bitemark on her wrist) You got to make a choice. Either let the change happen.
Edward: No… no!
Alice: It’s gonna happen, Edward. I’ve seen it.
Edward: It doesn’t have to be that way.
Carlisle: She’s still hemorrhaging… Alice, make a tourniquet with your belt…
Edward: Carlisle. What’s my other option?
Carlisle: Tie it above my hands.
Edward: Carlisle!
Carlisle: (to Alice) Go… (turns to Edward) Try to suck the venom out.
Edward: You know I won’t be able to stop.
Carlisle: Find the will… to stop. But choose… She only has a few minutes left.
Edward: (looking at Bella) I’ll make it go away, Bella. I’ll make it go away.

———-

Bella: (at the hospital, after waking up) I’m alive because of you.
Edward: No, you’re in here because of me. The worst part of it was I thought I wouldn’t be able to stop.
Bella: You did stop…

———-

Bella: (after Edward tried to tell her to leave him) You can’t say stuff like that to me. Ever…
Edward: Where else am I gonna go?

———-

Edward: (before leaving for the prom with Bella) I’ll take care of her Chief Swan.
Charlie: (grunts sarcastically) Uh huh. I’ve heard that before.

———-

Edward: (after Jacob leaves) I leave you for two minutes and the wolves descend.

———-

Edward: (dancing with Bella with her feet on top of his) See, you’re dancing.
Bella: At prom.

———-

Bella: Edward, why did you save me? Why didn’t you let the venom spread? I could be like you right now.
Edward: You don’t know what you’re saying. You don’t want this.
Bella: I want you. Always.
Edward: I’m not gonna end your life for you.

———-

Edward: So that’s what you dream about? Becoming a monster?
Bella: I dream about being with you forever.
Edward: Forever? And you’re ready right now? (tilts her head to expose her neck)
Bella: Yes. (waits for the bite)
Edward: (kisses her softly) Is it not enough… just to have a long and happy life with me?
Bella: For now.