暮色-第16部分

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my　appetite　—　I　bought　nothing　but　a　bottle　of　lemonade。　I　just　wanted　to　
go　sit　down　and　sulk。　

〃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。〃　

I　waited　for　him　to　say　something　that　made　sense。　The　seconds　ticked　by。　

〃You　know　I　don't　have　any　idea　what　you　mean；〃　I　eventually　pointed　out。　

〃I　know。〃　He　smiled　again；　and　then　he　changed　the　subject。　〃I　think　your　
friends　are　angry　with　me　for　stealing　you。〃　

〃They'll　survive。〃　I　could　feel　their　stares　boring　into　my　back。　

〃I　may　not　give　you　back；　though；〃　he　said　with　a　wicked　glint　in　his　
eyes。　

I　gulped。　

He　laughed。　〃You　look　worried。〃　

〃No；〃　I　said；　but；　ridiculously；　my　voice　broke。　〃Surprised；　actually…　
what　brought　all　this　on？〃　

〃I　told　you　—　I　got　tired　of　trying　to　stay　away　from　you。　So　I'm　giving　
up。〃　He　was　still　smiling；　but　his　ocher　eyes　were　serious。　

〃Giving　up？〃　I　repeated　in　confusion。　

〃Yes　—　giving　up　trying　to　be　good。　I'm　just　going　to　do　what　I　want　now；　
and　let　the　chips　fall　where　they　may。〃　His　smile　faded　as　he　explained；　
and　a　hard　edge　crept　into　his　voice。　

〃You　lost　me　again。〃　

The　breathtaking　crooked　smile　reappeared。　

〃I　always　say　too　much　when　I'm　talking　to　you　—　that's　one　of　the　
problems。〃　

〃Don't　worry　—　I　don't　understand　any　of　it；〃　I　said　wryly。　

〃I'm　counting　on　that。〃　

〃So；　in　plain　English；　are　we　friends　now？〃　

〃Friends…〃　he　mused；　dubious。　

〃Or　not；〃　I　muttered。　

He　grinned。　〃Well；　we　can　try；　I　suppose。　But　I'm　warning　you　now　that　
I'm　not　a　good　friend　for　you。〃　Behind　his　smile；　the　warning　was　real。　

〃You　say　that　a　lot；〃　I　noted；　trying　to　ignore　the　sudden　trembling　in　
my　stomach　and　keep　my　voice　even。　

〃Yes；　because　you're　not　listening　to　me。　I'm　still　waiting　for　you　to　
believe　it。　If　you're　smart；　you'll　avoid　me。〃　

〃I　think　you've　made　your　opinion　on　the　subject　of　my　intellect　clear；　
too。〃　My　eyes　narrowed。　

He　smiled　apologetically。　

〃So；　as　long　as　I'm　being…　not　smart；　we'll　try　to　be　friends？〃　I　
struggled　to　sum　up　the　confusing　exchange。　

〃That　sounds　about　right。〃　

I　looked　down　at　my　hands　wrapped　around　the　lemonade　bottle；　not　sure　
what　to　do　now。　

〃What　are　you　thinking？〃　he　asked　curiously。　

I　looked　up　into　his　deep　gold　eyes；　became　befuddled；　and；　as　usual；　
blurted　out　the　truth。　

〃I'm　trying　to　figure　out　what　you　are。〃　

His　jaw　tightened；　but　he　kept　his　smile　in　place　with　some　effort。　

〃Are　you　having　any　luck　with　that？〃　he　asked　in　an　offhand　tone。　

〃Not　too　much；〃　I　admitted。　

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　plained。　

〃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　pentup　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　nonfrustrating。〃　

〃You've　got　a　bit　of　a　temper；　don't　you？〃　

〃I　don't　like　double　standards。〃　

We　stared　at　each　other；　unsmiling。　

He　glanced　over　my　shoulder；　and　then；　unexpectedly；　he　snickered。　

〃What？〃　

〃Your　boyfriend　seems　to　think　I'm　being　unpleasant　to　you　—　he's　
debating　whether　or　not　to　e　break　up　our　fight。〃　He　snickered　again。　

〃I　don't　know　who　you're　talking　about；〃　I　said　frostily。　〃But　I'm　sure　
you're　wrong；　anyway。〃　

〃I'm　not。　I　told　you；　most　people　are　easy　to　read。〃　

〃Except　me；　of　course。〃　

〃Yes。　Except　for　you。〃　His　mood　shifted　suddenly；　his　eyes　turned　
brooding。　〃I　wonder　why　that　is。〃　

I　had　to　look　away　from　the　intensity　of　his　stare。　I　concentrated　on　
unscrewing　the　lid　of　my　lemonade。　I　took　a　swig；　staring　at　the　table　

without　seeing　it。　

〃Aren't　you　hungry？〃　he　asked；　distracted。　

〃No。〃　I　didn't　feel　like　mentioning　that　my　stomach　was　already　full　—　of　
butterflies。　〃You？〃　I　looked　at　the　empty　table　in　front　of　him。　

〃No；　I'm　not　hungry。〃　I　didn't　understand　his　expression　—　it　looked　like　
he　was　enjoying　some　private　joke。　

〃Can　you　do　me　a　favor？〃　I　asked　after　a　second　of　hesitation。　

He　was　suddenly　wary。　〃That　depends　on　what　you　want。〃　

〃It's　not　much；〃　I　assured　him。　

He　waited；　guarded　but　curious。　

〃I　just　wondered…　if　you　could　warn　me　beforehand　the　next　time　you　
decide　to　ignore　me　for　my　own　good。　Just　so　I'm　prepared。〃　I　looked　at　
the　lemonade　bottle　as　I　spoke；　tracing　the　circle　of　the　opening　with　my　
pinkie　finger。　

〃That　sounds　fair。〃　He　was　pressing　his　lips　together　to　keep　from　
laughing　when　I　looked　up。　

〃Thanks。〃　

〃Then　can　I　have　one　answer　in　return？〃　he　demanded。　

〃One。〃　

〃Tell　me　one　theory。〃　

Whoops。　〃Not　that　one。〃　

〃You　didn't　qualify；　you　just　promised　one　answer；〃　he　reminded　me。　

〃And　you've　broken　promises　yourself；〃　I　reminded　him　back。　

〃Just　one　theory　—　I　won't　laugh。〃　

〃Yes；　you　will。〃　I　was　positive　about　that。　

He　looked　down；　and　then　glanced　up　at　me　through　his　long　black　lashes；　
his　ocher　eyes　scorching。　

〃Please？〃　he　breathed；　leaning　toward　me。　

I　blinked；　my　mind　going　blank。　Holy　crow；　how　did　he　do　that？　

〃Er；　what？〃　I　asked；　dazed。　

〃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　pose　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　imperable。　

〃Oh；〃　I　said；　as　several　things　he'd　hinted　fell　suddenly　into　place。　〃I　
see。〃　

〃Do　you？〃　His　face　was　abruptly　severe；　as　if　he　were　afraid　that　he'd　
accidentally　said　too　much。　

〃You're　dangerous？〃