Chapter Sixteen – Epoch

Chapter Number: 16

Chapter Name: Epoch

Page Numbers: 346 – 364

Date of Chapter:

Summary:
Unable to find something to wear to graduation thanks to the fact that her red blouse was stolen, Bella mopes around her room until Alice shows up with a new outfit.  Alice makes a comment about the thief followed by a comment about the activity in Seattle.  Hearing the two placed together like that makes something click in Bella’s brain.  She realizes that the two situations – the thief in her room and the newborn vampires in Seattle are related.  She also figures out that the thief only broke into her house as a test to see how easy it was to get in and that he only stole things with her scent on them so that others could find her.  Determined to keep the information from Edward, Alice darts off just as Edward arrives to go with Bella to the graduation ceremony. 

At the ceremony, Edward and Bella are separated.  Bella listens to Jessica ramble on and on about their time in school.  The ceremony goes rather quickly and Bella receives her diploma while Charlie and Jacob cheer for her from the audience.  Even through the rest of the graduates are celebrating, Bella is left feeling awkward.  Edward questions her about it and she passes it off as being nervous about the party.  He knows Alice is hiding something from him due to the way her thoughts were filled with foreign languages, and now Edward is suspicious that Bella knows exactly what is bother Alice.  With the hope that the news would make Edward cancel the party, Bella tells him what she figured out about the thief and the newborns.  Edward does not take the information well and he does not go with Charlie and Bella out for dinner. 

After a long, dragging dinner, Edward appears to follow Charlie and Bella back to his house. In the car Charlie expresses his feelings about not being able to do for Bella everything that he should do for her.  Bella assures him that he is a great dad and tells him how happy she is that she chose to move to Forks to live with him.  They arrive at the Cullen home to find the trees lining the drive covered in white lights.  Charlie drops Bella off and drives home.

Characters Involved: Alice Cullen, Edward Cullen, Bella Swan, Charlie Swan, Ms. Cope, Mr. Varner, Jessica Stanley, Eric Yorkie, Principal Greene, Jacob Black, Billy Black

Characters Mentioned: Esme Cullen, Carlisle Cullen, Lauren Mallory, Ben Cheney, Angela Webber

Places Visited: The Swan House, Forks High School, The Lodge Restaurant. 

Memorable Quotes:
“Stupid, thieving, annoying vampire!”  ~ Bella about the unnamed thief.

“She was translating the Battle Hymn of the Republic into Arabic, actually.  When she finished that, she moved on to Korean sign language.”  ~ Edward about Alice

“She doesn’t do things half way, does she?” ~ Charlie about Alice

Information Learned:
The vampire that stole the items from Bella’s bedroom is connected to the newborn vampires in Seattle.

Bella graduates High School.

Alice can speak Arabic and knows Korean sign language.