暮色-第26部分

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〃Well；　we　could　go　to　dinner　or　something…　and　I　could　work　on　it　later。〃　
He　smiled　at　me　hopefully。　

〃Mike…〃　I　hated　being　put　on　the　spot。　〃I　don't　think　that　would　be　the　
best　idea。〃　

His　face　fell。　〃Why？〃　he　asked；　his　eyes　guarded。　My　thoughts　flickered　
to　Edward；　wondering　if　that's　where　his　thoughts　were　as　well。　

〃I　think…　and　if　you　ever　repeat　what　I'm　saying　right　now　I　will　
cheerfully　beat　you　to　death；〃　I　threatened；　〃but　I　think　that　would　hurt　
Jessica's　feelings。〃　

He　was　bewildered；　obviously　not　thinking　in　that　direction　at　all。　
〃Jessica？〃　

〃Really；　Mike；　are　you　blind？〃　

〃Oh；〃　he　exhaled　—　clearly　dazed。　I　took　advantage　of　that　to　make　my　
escape。　

〃It's　time　for　class；　and　I　can't　be　late　again。〃　I　gathered　my　books　up　
and　stuffed　them　in　my　bag。　

We　walked　in　silence　to　building　three；　and　his　expression　was　

distracted。　I　hoped　whatever　thoughts　he　was　immersed　in　were　leading　him　
in　the　right　direction。　

When　I　saw　Jessica　in　Trig；　she　was　bubbling　with　enthusiasm。　She；　
Angela；　and　Lauren　were　going　to　Port　Angeles　tonight　to　go　dress　
shopping　for　the　dance；　and　she　wanted　me　to　e；　too；　even　though　I　
didn't　need　one。　I　was　indecisive。　It　would　be　nice　to　get　out　of　town　
with　some　girlfriends；　but　Lauren　would　be　there。　And　who　knew　what　I　
could　be　doing　tonight…　But　that　was　definitely　the　wrong　path　to　let　my　
mind　wander　down。　Of　course　I　was　happy　about　the　sunlight。　But　that　
wasn't　pletely　responsible　for　the　euphoric　mood　I　was　in；　not　even　
close。　

So　I　gave　her　a　maybe；　telling　her　I'd　have　to　talk　with　Charlie　first。　

She　talked　of　nothing　but　the　dance　on　the　way　to　Spanish；　continuing　as　
if　without　an　interruption　when　class　finally　ended；　five　minutes　late；　
and　we　were　on　our　way　to　lunch。　I　was　far　too　lost　in　my　own　frenzy　of　
anticipation　to　notice　much　of　what　she　said。　I　was　painfully　eager　to　
see　not　just　him　but　all　the　Cullens　—　to　pare　them　with　the　new　
suspicions　that　plagued　my　mind。　As　I　crossed　the　threshold　of　the　
cafeteria；　I　felt　the　first　true　tingle　of　fear　slither　down　my　spine　and　
settle　in　my　stomach。　Would　they　be　able　to　know　what　I　was　thinking？　And　
then　a　different　feeling　jolted　through　me　—　would　Edward　be　waiting　to　
sit　with　me　again？　

As　was　my　routine；　I　glanced　first　toward　the　Cullens'　table。　A　shiver　of　
panic　trembled　in　my　stomach　as　I　realized　it　was　empty。　With　dwindling　
hope；　my　eyes　scoured　the　rest　of　the　cafeteria；　hoping　to　find　him　
alone；　waiting　for　me。　The　place　was　nearly　filled　—　Spanish　had　made　us　
late　—　but　there　was　no　sign　of　Edward　or　any　of　his　family。　Desolation　
hit　me　with　crippling　strength。　

I　shambled　along　behind　Jessica；　not　bothering　to　pretend　to　listen　
anymore。　

We　were　late　enough　that　everyone　was　already　at　our　table。　I　avoided　the　
empty　chair　next　to　Mike　in　favor　of　one　by　Angela。　I　vaguely　noticed　
that　Mike　held　the　chair　out　politely　for　Jessica；　and　that　her　face　lit　
up　in　response。　

Angela　asked　a　few　quiet　questions　about　the　Macbeth　paper；　which　I　
answered　as　naturally　as　I　could　while　spiraling　downward　in　misery。　She；　
too；　invited　me　to　go　with　them　tonight；　and　I　agreed　now；　grasping　at　
anything　to　distract　myself。　

I　realized　I'd　been　holding　on　to　a　last　shred　of　hope　when　I　entered　
Biology；　saw　his　empty　seat；　and　felt　a　new　wave　of　disappointment。　

The　rest　of　the　day　passed　slowly；　dismally。　In　Gym；　we　had　a　lecture　on　
the　rules　of　badminton；　the　next　torture　they　had　lined　up　for　me。　But　at　
least　it　meant　I　got　to　sit　and　listen　instead　of　stumbling　around　on　the　
court。　The　best　part　was　the　coach　didn't　finish；　so　I　got　another　day　
off　tomorrow。　Never　mind　that　the　day　after　they　would　arm　me　with　a　
racket　before　unleashing　me　on　the　rest　of　the　class。　

I　was　glad　to　leave　campus；　so　I　would　be　free　to　pout　and　mope　before　I　
went　out　tonight　with　Jessica　and　pany。　But　right　after　I　walked　in　
the　door　of　Charlie's　house；　Jessica　called　to　cancel　our　plans。　I　tried　
to　be　happy　that　Mike　had　asked　her　out　to　dinner　—　I　really　was　relieved　
that　he　finally　seemed　to　be　catching　on　—　but　my　enthusiasm　sounded　
false　in　my　own　ears。　She　rescheduled　our　shopping　trip　for　tomorrow　
night。　

Which　left　me　with　little　in　the　way　of　distractions。　I　had　fish　
marinating　for　dinner；　with　a　salad　and　bread　left　over　from　the　night　
before；　so　there　was　nothing　to　do　there。　I　spent　a　focused　half　hour　on　
homework；　but　then　I　was　through　with　that；　too。　I　checked　my　email；　
reading　the　backlog　of　letters　from　my　mother；　getting　snippier　as　they　
progressed　to　the　present。　I　sighed　and　typed　a　quick　response。　

Mom；　

Sorry。　I've　been　out。　I　went　to　the　beach　with　some　friends。　And　I　had　to　
write　a　paper。　



My　excuses　were　fairly　pathetic；　so　I　gave　up　on　that。　



It's　sunny　outside　today　　I　know；　I'm　shocked；　too　　so　I'm　going　to　go　
outside　and　soak　up　as　much　vitamin　D　as　I　can。　I　love　you；　

Bella。　



I　decided　to　kill　an　hour　with　nonschoolrelated　reading。　I　had　a　small　
collection　of　books　that　came　with　me　to　Forks；　the　shabbiest　volume　
being　a　pilation　of　the　works　of　Jane　Austen。　I　selected　that　one　and　
headed　to　the　backyard；　grabbing　a　ragged　old　quilt　from　the　linen　
cupboard　at　the　top　of　the　stairs　on　my　way　down。　

Outside　in　Charlie's　small；　square　yard；　I　folded　the　quilt　in　half　and　
laid　it　out　of　the　reach　of　the　trees'　shadows　on　the　thick　lawn　that　
would　always　be　slightly　wet；　no　matter　how　long　the　sun　shone。　I　lay　on　
my　stomach；　crossing　my　ankles　in　the　air；　flipping　through　the　different　
novels　in　the　book；　trying　to　decide　which　would　occupy　my　mind　the　most　
thoroughly。　My　favorites　were　Pride　and　Prejudice　and　Sense　and　
Sensibility。　I'd　read　the　first　most　recently；　so　I　started　into　Sense　
and　Sensibility；　only　to　remember　after　I　began　three　that　the　hero　of　
the　story　happened　to　be　named　Edward。　Angrily；　I　turned　to　Mansfield　
Park；　but　the　hero　of　that　piece　was　named　Edmund；　and　that　was　just　too　
close。　Weren't　there　any　other　names　available　in　the　late　eighteenth　
century？　I　snapped　the　book　shut；　annoyed；　and　rolled　over　onto　my　back。　
I　pushed　my　sleeves　up　as　high　as　they　would　go；　and　closed　my　eyes。　I　
would　think　of　nothing　but　the　warmth　on　my　skin；　I　told　myself　severely。　
The　breeze　was　still　light；　but　it　blew　tendrils　of　my　hair　around　my　
face；　and　that　tickled　a　bit。　I　pulled　all　my　hair　over　my　head；　letting　
it　fan　out　on　the　quilt　above　me；　and　focused　again　on　the　heat　that　
touched　my　eyelids；　my　cheekbones；　my　nose；　my　lips；　my　forearms；　my　
neck；　soaked　through　my　light　shirt…　

The　next　thing　I　was　conscious　of　was　the　sound　of　Charlie's　cruiser　
turning　onto　the　bricks　of　the　driveway。　I　sat　up　in　surprise；　realizing　
the　light　was　gone；　behind　the　trees；　and　I　had　fallen　asleep。　I　looked　
around；　muddled；　with　the　sudden　feeling　that　I　wasn't　alone。　

〃Charlie？〃　I　asked。　But　I　could　hear　his　door　slamming　in　front　of　the　
house。　

I　jumped　up；　foolishly　edgy；　gathering　the　nowdamp　quilt　and　my　book。　I　
ran　inside　to　get　some　oil　heating　on　the　stove；　realizing　that　dinner　
would　be　late。　Charlie　was　hanging　up　his　gun　belt　and　stepping　out　of　
his　boots　when　I　came　in。　

〃Sorry；　Dad；　dinner's　not　ready　yet　—　I　fell　asleep　outside。〃　I　stifled　a　
yawn。　

〃Don't　worry　about　it；〃　he　said。　〃I　wanted　to　catch　the　score　on　the　
game；　anyway。〃　

I　watched　TV　with　Charlie　after　dinner；　for　something　to　do。　There　wasn't　
anything　on　I　wanted　to　watch；　but　he　knew　I　didn't　like　baseball；　so　he　
turned　it　to　some　mindless　sit　that　neither　of　us　enjoyed。　He　seemed　
happy；　though；　to　be　doing　something　together。　And　it　felt　good；　despite　
my　depression；　to　make　him　happy。　

〃Dad；〃　I　said　during　a　mercial；　〃Jessica　and　Angela　are　going　to　look　
at　dresses　for　the　dance　tomorrow　night　in　Port　Angeles；　and　they　wanted　

me　to　help　them　choose…　do　you　mind　if　I　go　with　them？〃　

〃Jessica　Stanley？〃　he　asked。　

〃And　Angela　Weber。〃　I　sighed　as　I　gave　him　the　details。　

He　was　confused。　〃But　you're　not　going　to　the　dance；　right？〃