暮色-第19部分

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truck　before　he　could　catch　me。　I　had　to　admit；　they　weren't　good。　

〃I'll　just　drag　you　back；〃　he　threatened；　guessing　my　plan。　

I　tried　to　maintain　what　dignity　I　could　as　I　got　into　his　car。　I　wasn't　
very　successful　—　I　looked　like　a　halfdrowned　cat　and　my　boots　squeaked。　

〃This　is　pletely　unnecessary；〃　I　said　stiffly。　

He　didn't　answer。　He　fiddled　with　the　controls；　turning　the　heater　up　and　
the　music　down。　As　he　pulled　out　of　the　parking　lot；　I　was　preparing　to　
give　him　the　silent　treatment　—　my　face　in　full　pout　mode　—　but　then　I　
recognized　the　music　playing；　and　my　curiosity　got　the　better　of　my　
intentions。　

〃Clair　de　Lune？〃　I　asked；　surprised。　

〃You　know　Debussy？〃　He　sounded　surprised；　too。　

〃Not　well；〃　I　admitted。　〃My　mother　plays　a　lot　of　classical　music　around　
the　house　—　I　only　know　my　favorites。〃　

〃It's　one　of　my　favorites；　too。〃　He　stared　out　through　the　rain；　lost　in　
thought。　

I　listened　to　the　music；　relaxing　against　the　light　gray　leather　seat。　It　
was　impossible　not　to　respond　to　the　familiar；　soothing　melody。　The　rain　
blurred　everything　outside　the　window　into　gray　and　green　smudges。　I　
began　to　realize　we　were　driving　very　fast；　the　car　moved　so　steadily；　so　
evenly；　though；　I　didn't　feel　the　speed。　Only　the　town　flashing　by　gave　
it　away。　

〃What　is　your　mother　like？〃　he　asked　me　suddenly。　

I　glanced　over　to　see　him　studying　me　with　curious　eyes。　

〃She　looks　a　lot　like　me；　but　she's　prettier；〃　I　said。　He　raised　his　
eyebrows。　〃I　have　too　much　Charlie　in　me。　She's　more　outgoing　than　I　am；　
and　braver。　She's　irresponsible　and　slightly　eccentric；　and　she's　a　very　
unpredictable　cook。　She's　my　best　friend。〃　I　stopped。　Talking　about　her　
was　making　me　depressed。　

〃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　thirtyfive　years　old　and　that　I　get　more　
middleaged　every　year。〃　I　laughed；　and　then　sighed。　〃Well；　someone　has　
to　be　the　adult。〃　I　paused　for　a　second。　〃You　don't　seem　much　like　a　
junior　in　high　school　yourself；〃　I　noted。　

He　made　a　face　and　changed　the　subject。　

〃So　why　did　your　mother　marry　Phil？〃　

I　was　surprised　he　would　remember　the　name；　I'd　mentioned　it　just　once；　
almost　two　months　ago。　It　took　me　a　moment　to　answer。　

〃My　mother…　she's　very　young　for　her　age。　I　think　Phil　makes　her　feel　
even　younger。　At　any　rate；　she's　crazy　about　him。〃　I　shook　my　head。　The　
attraction　was　a　mystery　to　me。　

〃Do　you　approve？〃　he　asked。　

〃Does　it　matter？〃　I　countered。　〃I　want　her　to　be　happy…　and　he　is　who　she　
wants。〃　

〃That's　very　generous…　I　wonder；〃　he　mused。　

〃What？〃　

〃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。　

〃II　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。〃　

〃Are　you　frightened　of　me　now？〃　The　smile　vanished；　and　his　heavenly　face　
was　suddenly　serious。　

〃No。〃　But　I　answered　too　quickly。　The　smile　returned。　

〃So；　now　are　you　going　to　tell　me　about　your　family？〃　I　asked　to　distract　
him。　〃It's　got　to　be　a　much　more　interesting　story　than　mine。〃　

He　was　instantly　cautious。　〃What　do　you　want　to　know？〃　

〃The　Cullens　adopted　you？〃　I　verified。　

〃Yes。〃　

I　hesitated　for　a　moment。　〃What　happened　to　your　parents？〃　

〃They　died　many　years　ago。〃　His　tone　was　matteroffact。　

〃I'm　sorry；〃　I　mumbled。　

〃I　don't　really　remember　them　that　clearly。　Carlisle　and　Esme　have　been　
my　parents　for　a　long　time　now。〃　

〃And　you　love　them。〃　It　wasn't　a　question。　It　was　obvious　in　the　way　he　
spoke　of　them。　

〃Yes。〃　He　smiled。　〃I　couldn't　imagine　two　better　people。〃　

〃You're　very　lucky。〃　

〃I　know　I　am。〃　

〃And　your　brother　and　sister？〃　

He　glanced　at　the　clock　on　the　dashboard。　

〃My　brother　and　sister；　and　Jasper　and　Rosalie　for　that　matter；　are　going　
to　be　quite　upset　if　they　have　to　stand　in　the　rain　waiting　for　me。〃　

〃Oh；　sorry；　I　guess　you　have　to　go。〃　I　didn't　want　to　get　out　of　the　car。　

〃And　you　probably　want　your　truck　back　before　Chief　Swan　gets　home；　so　
you　don't　have　to　tell　him　about　the　Biology　incident。〃　He　grinned　at　me。　

〃I'm　sure　he's　already　heard。　There　are　no　secrets　in　Forks。〃　I　sighed。　

He　laughed；　and　there　was　an　edge　to　his　laughter。　

〃Have　fun　at　the　beach…　good　weather　for　sunbathing。〃　He　glanced　out　at　
the　sheeting　rain。　

〃Won't　I　see　you　tomorrow？〃　

〃No。　Emmett　and　I　are　starting　the　weekend　early。〃　

〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　A　friend　could　ask　that；　right？　I　hoped　the　
disappointment　wasn't　too　apparent　in　my　voice。　

〃We're　going　to　be　hiking　in　the　Goat　Rocks　Wilderness；　just　south　of　
Rainier。〃　

I　remembered　Charlie　had　said　the　Cullens　went　camping　frequently。　

〃Oh；　well；　have　fun。〃　I　tried　to　sound　enthusiastic。　I　don't　think　I　
fooled　him；　though。　A　smile　was　playing　around　the　edges　of　his　lips。　

〃Will　you　do　something　for　me　this　weekend？〃　He　turned　to　look　me　
straight　in　the　face；　utilizing　the　full　power　of　his　burning　gold　eyes。　

I　nodded　helplessly。　

〃Don't　be　offended；　but　you　seem　to　be　one　of　those　people　who　just　
attract　accidents　like　a　mag。　So…　try　not　to　fall　into　the　ocean　or　
get　run　over　or　anything；　all　right？〃　He　smiled　crookedly。　

The　helplessness　had　faded　as　he　spoke。　I　glared　at　him。　

〃I'll　see　what　I　can　do；〃　I　snapped　as　I　jumped　out　into　the　rain。　I　
slammed　the　door　behind　me　with　excessive　force。　

He　was　still　smiling　as　he　drove　away。　

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6。　SCARY　STORIES　




As　I　sat　in　my　room；　trying　to　concentrate　on　the　third　act　of　Macbeth；　I　
was　really　listening　for　my　truck。　I　would　have　thought；　even　over　the　
pounding　rain；　I　could　have　heard　the　engine's　roar。　But　when　I　went　to　
peek　out　the　curtain　—　again　—　it　was　suddenly　there。　

I　wasn't　looking　forward　to　Friday；　and　it　more　than　lived　up　to　my　
nonexpectations。　Of　course　there　were　the　fainting　ments。　Jessica　
especially　seemed　to　get　a　kick　out　of　that　story。　Luckily　Mike　had　kept　
his　mouth　shut；　and　no　one　seemed　to　know　about　Edward's　involvement。　She　

did　have　a　lot　of　questions　about　lunch；　though。　

〃So　what　did　Edward　Cullen　want　yesterday？〃　Jessica　asked　in　Trig。　

〃I　don't　know；〃　I　answered　truthfully。　〃He　never　really　got　to　the　point。〃　

〃You　looked　kind　of　mad；〃　she　fished。　

〃Did　I？〃　I　kept　my　expression　blank。　

〃You　know；　I've　never　seen　him　sit　with　anyone　but　his　family　before。　
That　was　weird。〃　

〃Weird；〃　I　agreed。　She　seemed　annoyed；　she　flipped　her　dark　curls　
impatiently　—　I　guessed　she'd　been　hoping　to　hear　something　that　would　
make　a　good　story　for　her　to　pass　on。　

The　worst　part　about　Friday　was　that；　even　though　I　knew　he　wasn't　going　
to　be　there；　I　still　hoped。　When　I　walked　into　the　cafeteria　with　Jessica　
and　Mike；　I　couldn't　keep　from　looking　at　his　table；　where　Rosalie；　
Alice；　and　Jasper　sat　talking；　heads　close　together。　And　I　couldn't　stop　
the　gloom　that　engulfed　me　as　I　realized　I　didn't　know　how　long　I　would　
have　to　wait　before　I　saw　him　again。　

At　my　usual　table；　everyone　was　full　of　our　plans　for　the　next　day。　Mike