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暮色-第27部分

小说: 暮色 字数: 每页4000字

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

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

〃No; Dad; but I'm helping them find dresses — you know; giving them 
constructive criticism。〃 I wouldn't have to explain this to a woman。 

〃Well; okay。〃 He seemed to realize that he was out of his depth with the 
girlie stuff。 〃It's a school night; though。〃 

〃We'll leave right after school; so we can get back early。 You'll be okay 
for dinner; right?〃 

〃Bells; I fed myself for seventeen years before you got here;〃 he 
reminded me。 

〃I don't know how you survived;〃 I muttered; then added more clearly; 
〃I'll leave some things for coldcut sandwiches in the fridge; okay? 
Right on top。〃 

It was sunny again in the morning。 I awakened with renewed hope that I 
grimly tried to suppress。 I dressed for the warmer weather in a deep blue 
Vneck blouse — something I'd worn in the dead of winter in Phoenix。 

I had planned my arrival at school so that I barely had time to make it 
to class。 With a sinking heart; I circled the full lot looking for a 
space; while also searching for the silver Volvo that was clearly not 
there。 I parked in the last row and hurried to English; arriving 
breathless; but subdued; before the final bell。 

It was the same as yesterday — I just couldn't keep little sprouts of 
hope from budding in my mind; only to have them squashed painfully as I 
searched the lunchroom in vain and sat at my empty Biology table。 

The Port Angeles scheme was back on again for tonight and made all the 
more attractive by the fact that Lauren had other obligations。 I was 
anxious to get out of town so I could stop glancing over my shoulder; 
hoping to see him appearing out of the blue the way he always did。 I 
vowed to myself that I would be in a good mood tonight and not ruin 
Angela's or Jessica's enjoyment in the dress hunting。 Maybe I could do a 
little clothes shopping as well。 I refused to think that I might be 
shopping alone in Seattle this weekend; no longer interested in the 
earlier arrangement。 Surely he wouldn't cancel without at least telling 
me。 

After school; Jessica followed me home in her old white Mercury so that I 
could ditch my books and truck。 I brushed through my hair quickly when I 
was inside; feeling a slight lift of excitement as I contemplated getting 
out of Forks。 I left a note for Charlie on the table; explaining again 
where to find dinner; switched my scruffy wallet from my school bag to a 
purse I rarely used; and ran out to join Jessica。 We went to Angela's 
house next; and she was waiting for us。 My excitement increased 
exponentially as we actually drove out of the town limits。 

=========================================================================== 


8。 PORT ANGELES 




Jess drove faster than the Chief; so we made it to Port Angeles by four。 
It had been a while since I'd had a girls' night out; and the estrogen 
rush was invigorating。 We listened to whiny rock songs while Jessica 
jabbered on about the boys we hung out with。 Jessica's dinner with Mike 
had gone very well; and she was hoping that by Saturday night they would 

have progressed to the firstkiss stage。 I smiled to myself; pleased。 
Angela was passively happy to be going to the dance; but not really 
interested in Eric。 Jess tried to get her to confess who her type was; 
but I interrupted with a question about dresses after a bit; to spare 
her。 Angela threw a grateful glance my way。 

Port Angeles was a beautiful little tourist trap; much more polished and 
quaint than Forks。 But Jessica and Angela knew it well; so they didn't 
plan to waste time on the picturesque boardwalk by the bay。 Jess drove 
straight to the one big department store in town; which was a few streets 
in from the bay area's visitorfriendly face。 

The dance was billed as semiformal; and we weren't exactly sure what that 
meant。 Both Jessica and Angela seemed surprised and almost disbelieving 
when I told them I'd never been to a dance in Phoenix。 

〃Didn't you ever go with a boyfriend or something?〃 Jess asked dubiously 
as we walked through the front doors of the store。 

〃Really;〃 I tried to convince her; not wanting to confess my dancing 
problems。 〃I've never had a boyfriend or anything close。 I didn't go out 
much。〃 

〃Why not?〃 Jessica demanded。 

〃No one asked me;〃 I answered honestly。 

She looked skeptical。 〃People ask you out here;〃 she reminded me; 〃and 
you tell them no。〃 We were in the juniors' section now; scanning the 
racks for dressup clothes。 

〃Well; except for Tyler;〃 Angela amended quietly。 

〃Excuse me?〃 I gasped。 〃What did you say?〃 

〃Tyler told everyone he's taking you to prom;〃 Jessica informed me with 
suspicious eyes。 

〃He said what?〃 I sounded like I was choking。 

〃I told you it wasn't true;〃 Angela murmured to Jessica。 

I was silent; still lost in shock that was quickly turning to irritation。 
But we had found the dress racks; and now we had work to do。 

〃That's why Lauren doesn't like you;〃 Jessica giggled while we pawed 
through the clothes。 

I ground my teeth。 〃Do you think that if I ran him over with my truck he 
would stop feeling guilty about the accident? That he might give up on 
making amends and call it even?〃 

〃Maybe;〃 Jess snickered。 '〃If that's why he's doing this。〃 

The dress selection wasn't large; but both of them found a few things to 
try on。 I sat on a low chair just inside the dressing room; by the 
threeway mirror; trying to control my fuming。 

Jess was torn between two — one a long; strapless; basic black number; 
the other a kneelength electric blue with spaghetti straps。 I encouraged 
her to go with the blue; why not play up the eyes? Angela chose a pale 
pink dress that draped around her tall frame nicely and brought out honey 
tints in her light brown hair。 I plimented them both generously and 
helped by returning the rejects to their racks。 The whole process was 
much shorter and easier than similar trips I'd taken with Renée at home。 
I guess there was something to be said for limited choices。 

We headed over to shoes and accessories。 While they tried things on I 
merely watched and critiqued; not in the mood to shop for myself; though 
I did need new shoes。 The girls'night high was wearing off in the wake 
of my annoyance at Tyler; leaving room for the gloom to move back in。 

〃Angela?〃 I began; hesitant; while she was trying on a pair of pink 
strappy heels — she was overjoyed to have a date tall enough that she 
could wear high heels at all。 

Jessica had drifted to the jewelry counter and we were alone。 

〃Yes?〃 She held her leg out; twisting her ankle to get a better view of 
the shoe。 

I chickened out。 〃I like those。〃 

〃I think I'll get them — though they'll never match anything but the one 
dress;〃 she mused。 

〃Oh; go ahead — they're on sale;〃 I encouraged。 She smiled; putting the 
lid back on a box that contained more practicallooking offwhite shoes。 

I tried again。 〃Um; Angela…〃 She looked up curiously。 

〃Is it normal for the… Cullens〃 — I kept my eyes on the shoes — 〃to be 
out of school a lot?〃 I failed miserably in my attempt to sound 
nonchalant。 

〃Yes; when the weather is good they go backpacking all the time — even 
the doctor。 They're all real outdoorsy;〃 she told me quietly; examining 
her shoes; too。 She didn't ask one question; let alone the hundreds that 
Jessica would have unleashed。 I was beginning to really like Angela。 

〃Oh。〃 I let the subject drop as Jessica returned to show us the 
rhinestone jewelry she'd found to match her silver shoes。 

We planned to go to dinner at a little Italian restaurant on the 
boardwalk; but the dress shopping hadn't taken as long as we'd expected。 
Jess and Angela were going to take their clothes back to the car and then 
walk down to the bay。 I told them I would meet them at the restaurant in 
an hour — I wanted to look for a bookstore。 They were both willing to 
e with me; but I encouraged them to go have fun — they didn't know how 
preoccupied I could get when surrounded by books; it was something I 
preferred t

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