Twilight: Chapter 8 Summary & Analysis

Bella, Jessica, and Angela make it to Port Angeles by four. Jessica chatters on about her date with Mike as she heads for the one big department store in town, a few blocks from the picturesque boardwalk. As the girls head for the dress racks, Jessica is shocked that Bella hasn’t gone to a dance or on a date before—the boys at school all seem to love her. Jessica also mentions that Tyler is going to ask Bella to prom. Bella is annoyed, especially when Jessica notes that this is why Lauren doesn’t like Bella.

As Bella helps Angela choose shoes, she awkwardly asks if the Cullens skip school a lot. Angela says they go camping whenever it’s nice. Jessica and Angela find shoes and accessories faster than expected, so Bella excuses herself to go to a bookstore and tells her friends she’ll meet them at the Italian restaurant on the boardwalk in an hour. Bella finds the bookstore quickly, but it's not the kind of bookstore she needs—it’s full of crystals and books on “spiritual healing.” So, she wanders the streets, barely paying attention to her surroundings. She’s too busy thinking about Edward—and she feels angry when she sees a silver Volvo parked nearby.

Bella knows she has to get her mood under control before she finds Angela and Jessica, so she keeps walking. It soon becomes apparent, though, that she’s no longer in the touristy part of Port Angeles. She passes a group of four grimy men and ignores their catcalls. There are now warehouses all around, and it’s starting to get dark. The roads are empty—and when Bella looks behind her, she notices that two men from the group are behind her. She hurries forward, aware that her pepper spray is at home. Bella considers dropping her wallet with her cash, but these men might not be interested in money.

Bella tries to tell herself the men aren’t following her as she continues down the street. She navigates a few dead-ends and realizes with relief that the men are falling back. But then, just as she turns a corner and catches sight of a busy intersection ahead, she sees the other two men waiting for her on the deserted street. The men behind her haven’t been following her—they’ve been herding her. Bella crosses the street, but the four men saunter closer. She mentally goes through the self-defense moves she knows and prepares to scream.

Suddenly, headlights come around the corner, and a car almost hits the men. Bella leaps into the road in front of the car, intent on making it stop—but it stops anyway. The door flies open, and Edward’s voice tells her to get in. Bella instantly feels safe as she complies. Edward drives too quickly back toward the downtown and then suddenly stops the car. After a moment, Bella realizes Edward is livid. He asks if she’s okay and then asks her to distract him. Confused, Bella tells him she’s going to run Tyler over tomorrow because he’s going to ask her to prom.

Edward explains that he sometimes has issues with his temper, so he’s trying to convince himself not to turn around and “hunt down” the men. Bella notices that it’s past 6:30, so she notes that Jessica and Angela will be worrying about her. Edward promptly starts the car and drives to the Italian restaurant—Bella hadn’t given any indication that was her destination, but she doesn’t ask how he knew. He gets out of the car and says he’s going to buy Bella dinner. Seeing Angela and Jessica on the sidewalk, he sends Bella to tell them of the change in plans.

Bella catches up to Jessica and Angela, and Edward asks if he can join the girls. Angela admits they already ate, and Bella insists she’s not hungry. But Edward says he’s going to buy Bella dinner, and he asks Jessica if it’s okay if he drives Bella home. Angela steers Jessica away as Jessica gawks. Though Bella assures Edward that she’s not hungry, he steers her into the restaurant.

A pretty hostess shows Bella and Edward to a booth. She seems dazzled by Edward, and when the waitress comes out, she also focuses exclusively on Edward. While the waitress is getting their Cokes, Edward asks Bella if she’s feeling okay—he’s expecting her to go into shock, since the men were going to assault her. Bella insists she’s fine. At Edward’s prodding, she orders ravioli; he orders nothing. When Bella starts to shiver, Edward passes her his jacket, which smells amazing. He also continues to push food at her, even when Bella insists she’s fine. She says she feels safe with Edward, which seems to annoy him.

As Bella nibbles a breadstick, she comments that Edward tends to be in a better mood when his eyes are lighter. Edward looks flabbergasted, especially when Bella says she has new theories. The waitress interrupts by bringing Bella’s food. Once she’s gone, Bella says she has questions. Edward refuses to answer why he’s in Port Angeles, but he plays along when Bella asks how it works if, hypothetically, someone could read minds. Edward makes jokes, but Bella tells him that he can trust her. Edward sighs—Bella is more observant than he gave her credit for, and she’s also a “magnet for trouble.” Bella asks if he’s trouble, and she reaches out to touch his freezing skin. He allows the touch and says that he is.

In a rush, Edward admits he followed Bella to Port Angeles to try to keep her alive. Bella wonders if she should be upset that he followed her—but instead, she’s thrilled. She suggests that “her number was up” when Tyler’s van almost crushed her, and perhaps Edward is messing with fate. But Edward says that Bella’s “number was up” the first time he met her. Bella feels momentarily terrified at the memory.

Edward explains that he was listening to Jessica’s thoughts earlier and realized Bella had split from her friends. He drove around until he heard what the men were thinking about Bella. It was difficult to leave the men alive—and he asked Bella to stay in Port Angeles with him because he was afraid that if she left him alone, he’d go after the men. Bella tries to calm her racing thoughts as Edward pays the bill and ushers her outside and into his Volvo. As Edward pulls onto the highway, he says it’s Bella’s turn to talk.