暮色-第32部分

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me；　and　he　looked　down　curiously。　I　looked　at　the　sidewalk；　grateful　that　
he　didn't　seem　to　be　able　to　know　what　I　was　thinking。　

He　opened　the　passenger　door；　holding　it　for　me　as　I　stepped　in；　shutting　
it　softly　behind　me。　I　watched　him　walk　around　the　front　of　the　car；　
amazed；　yet　again；　by　how　graceful　he　was。　I　probably　should　have　been　
used　to　that　by　now　—　but　I　wasn't。　I　had　a　feeling　Edward　wasn't　the　

kind　of　person　anyone　got　used　to。　

Once　inside　the　car；　he　started　the　engine　and　turned　the　heater　on　high。　
It　had　gotten　very　cold；　and　I　guessed　the　good　weather　was　at　an　end。　I　
was　warm　in　his　jacket；　though；　breathing　in　the　scent　of　it　when　I　
thought　he　couldn't　see。　

Edward　pulled　out　through　the　traffic；　apparently　without　a　glance；　
flipping　around　to　head　toward　the　freeway。　

〃Now；〃　he　said　significantly；　〃it's　your　turn。〃　

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


9。　THEORY　




〃Can　I　ask　just　one　more？〃　I　pleaded　as　Edward　accelerated　much　too　
quickly　down　the　quiet　street。　He　didn't　seem　to　be　paying　any　attention　
to　the　road。　

He　sighed。　

〃One；〃　he　agreed。　His　lips　pressed　together　into　a　cautious　line。　

〃Well…　you　said　you　knew　I　hadn't　gone　into　the　bookstore；　and　that　I　had　
gone　south。　I　was　just　wondering　how　you　knew　that。〃　

He　looked　away；　deliberating。　

〃I　thought　we　were　past　all　the　evasiveness；〃　I　grumbled。　

He　almost　smiled。　

〃Fine；　then。　I　followed　your　scent。〃　He　looked　at　the　road；　giving　me　
time　to　pose　my　face。　I　couldn't　think　of　an　acceptable　response　to　
that；　but　I　filed　it　carefully　away　for　future　study。　I　tried　to　refocus。　
I　wasn't　ready　to　let　him　be　finished；　now　that　he　was　finally　explaining　
things。　

〃And　then　you　didn't　answer　one　of　my　first　questions…〃　I　stalled。　

He　looked　at　me　with　disapproval。　〃Which　one？〃　

〃How　does　it　work　—　the　mindreading　thing？　Can　you　read　anybody's　mind；　
anywhere？　How　do　you　do　it？　Can　the　rest　of　your　family…　？〃　I　felt　silly；　
asking　for　clarification　on　makebelieve。　

〃That's　more　than　one；〃　he　pointed　out。　I　simply　intertwined　my　fingers　
and　gazed　at　him；　waiting。　

〃No；　it's　just　me。　And　I　can't　hear　anyone；　anywhere。　I　have　to　be　fairly　
close。　The　more　familiar　someone's…　'voice'　is；　the　farther　away　I　can　
hear　them。　But　still；　no　more　than　a　few　miles。〃　He　paused　thoughtfully。　
〃It's　a　little　like　being　in　a　huge　hall　filled　with　people；　everyone　
talking　at　once。　It's　just　a　hum　—　a　buzzing　of　voices　in　the　background。　
Until　I　focus　on　one　voice；　and　then　what　they're　thinking　is　clear。　

〃Most　of　the　time　I　tune　it　all　out　—　it　can　be　very　distracting。　And　
then　it's　easier　to　seem　normal〃　—　he　frowned　as　he　said　the　word　—　〃when　
I'm　not　accidentally　answering　someone's　thoughts　rather　than　their　
words。〃　

〃Why　do　you　think　you　can't　hear　me？〃　I　asked　curiously。　

He　looked　at　me；　his　eyes　enigmatic。　

〃I　don't　know；〃　he　murmured。　〃The　only　guess　I　have　is　that　maybe　your　

mind　doesn't　work　the　same　way　the　rest　of　theirs　do。　Like　your　thoughts　
are　on　the　AM　frequency　and　I'm　only　getting　FM。〃　He　grinned　at　me；　
suddenly　amused。　

〃My　mind　doesn't　work　right？　I'm　a　freak？〃　The　words　bothered　me　more　
than　they　should　—　probably　because　his　speculation　hit　home。　I'd　always　
suspected　as　much；　and　it　embarrassed　me　to　have　it　confirmed。　

〃I　hear　voices　in　my　mind　and　you're　worried　that　you're　the　freak；〃　he　
laughed。　〃Don't　worry；　it's　just　a　theory…〃　His　face　tightened。　〃Which　
brings　us　back　to　you。〃　

I　sighed。　How　to　begin？　

〃Aren't　we　past　all　the　evasions　now？〃　he　reminded　me　softly。　

I　looked　away　from　his　face　for　the　first　time；　trying　to　find　words。　I　
happened　to　notice　the　speedometer。　

〃Holy　crow！〃　I　shouted。　〃Slow　down！〃　

〃What's　wrong？〃　He　was　startled。　But　the　car　didn't　decelerate。　

〃You're　going　a　hundred　miles　an　hour！〃　I　was　still　shouting。　I　shot　a　
panicky　glance　out　the　window；　but　it　was　too　dark　to　see　much。　The　road　
was　only　visible　in　the　long　patch　of　bluish　brightness　from　the　
headlights。　The　forest　along　both　sides　of　the　road　was　like　a　black　wall　
—　as　hard　as　a　wall　of　steel　if　we　veered　off　the　road　at　this　speed。　

〃Relax；　Bella。〃　He　rolled　his　eyes；　still　not　slowing。　

〃Are　you　trying　to　kill　us？〃　I　demanded。　

〃We're　not　going　to　crash。〃　

I　tried　to　modulate　my　voice。　〃Why　are　you　in　such　a　hurry？〃　

〃I　always　drive　like　this。〃　He　turned　to　smile　crookedly　at　me。　

〃Keep　your　eyes　on　the　road！〃　

〃I've　never　been　in　an　accident；　Bella　—　I've　never　even　gotten　a　
ticket。〃　He　grinned　and　tapped　his　forehead。　〃Builtin　radar　detector。〃　

〃Very　funny。〃　I　fumed。　〃Charlie's　a　cop；　remember？　I　was　raised　to　abide　
by　traffic　laws。　Besides；　if　you　turn　us　into　a　Volvo　pretzel　around　a　
tree　trunk；　you　can　probably　just　walk　away。〃　

〃Probably；〃　he　agreed　with　a　short；　hard　laugh。　〃But　you　can't。〃　He　
sighed；　and　I　watched　with　relief　as　the　needle　gradually　drifted　toward　
eighty。　〃Happy？〃　

〃Almost。〃　

〃I　hate　driving　slow；〃　he　muttered。　

〃This　is　slow？〃　

〃Enough　mentary　on　my　driving；〃　he　snapped。　〃I'm　still　waiting　for　
your　latest　theory。〃　

I　bit　my　lip。　He　looked　down　at　me；　his　honey　eyes　unexpectedly　gentle。　

〃I　won't　laugh；〃　he　promised。　

〃I'm　more　afraid　that　you'll　be　angry　with　me。〃　

〃Is　it　that　bad？〃　

〃Pretty　much；　yeah。〃　

He　waited。　I　was　looking　down　at　my　hands；　so　I　couldn't　see　his　

expression。　

〃Go　ahead。〃　His　voice　was　calm。　

〃I　don't　know　how　to　start；〃　I　admitted。　

〃Why　don't　you　start　at　the　beginning…　you　said　you　didn't　e　up　with　
this　on　your　own。〃　

〃No。〃　

〃What　got　you　started　—　a　book？　A　movie？〃　he　probed。　

〃No　—　it　was　Saturday；　at　the　beach。〃　I　risked　a　glance　up　at　his　face。　
He　looked　puzzled。　

〃I　ran　into　an　old　family　friend　—Jacob　Black；〃　I　continued。　〃His　dad　and　
Charlie　have　been　friends　since　I　was　a　baby。〃　

He　still　looked　confused。　

〃His　dad　is　one　of　the　Quileute　elders。〃　I　watched　him　carefully。　His　
confused　expression　froze　in　place。　〃We　went　for　a　walk　—〃　I　edited　all　
my　scheming　out　of　the　story　〃—　and　he　was　telling　me　some　old　legends　—　
trying　to　scare　me；　I　think。　He　told　me　one…〃　I　hesitated。　

〃Go　on；〃　he　said。　

〃About　vampires。〃　I　realized　I　was　whispering。　I　couldn't　look　at　his　
face　now。　But　I　saw　his　knuckles　tighten　convulsively　on　the　wheel。　

〃And　you　immediately　thought　of　me？〃　Still　calm。　

〃No。　He…　mentioned　your　family。〃　

He　was　silent；　staring　at　the　road。　

I　was　worried　suddenly；　worried　about　protecting　Jacob。　

〃He　just　thought　it　was　a　silly　superstition；〃　I　said　quickly。　〃He　didn't　
expect　me　to　think　anything　of　it。〃　It　didn't　seem　like　enough；　I　had　to　
confess。　〃It　was　my　fault；　I　forced　him　to　tell　me。〃　

〃Why？〃　

〃Lauren　said　something　about　you　—　she　was　trying　to　provoke　me。　And　an　
older　boy　from　the　tribe　said　your　family　didn't　e　to　the　reservation；　
only　it　sounded　like　he　meant　something　different。　So　I　got　Jacob　alone　
and　I　tricked　it　out　of　him；〃　I　admitted；　hanging　my　head。　

He　startled　me　by　laughing。　I　glared　up　at　him。　He　was　laughing；　but　his　
eyes　were　fierce；　staring　ahead。　

〃Tricked　him　how？〃　he　asked。　

〃I　tried　to　flirt　—　it　worked　better　than　I　thought　it　would。〃　Disbelief　
colored　my　tone　as　I　remembered。　

〃I'd　like　to　have　seen　that。〃　He　chuckled　darkly。　〃And　you　accused　me　of　
dazzling　people　—　poor　Jacob　Black。〃　

I　blushed　and　looked　out　my　window　into　the　night。　

〃What　did　you　do　then？〃　he　asked　after　a　minute。　

〃I　did　some　research　on　the　Inter。〃　

〃And　did　that　convince　you？〃　His　voice　sounded　barely　interested。　But　his　
hands　were　clamped　hard　onto　the　steering　wheel。　

〃No。　Nothing　fit。　Most　of　it　was　kind　of　silly。　And　then…〃　I　stopped。　

〃What？〃　

〃I　decided　it　didn't　matter；〃　I　whispered。　

〃It　didn't　matter？〃　His　tone　made　me　look　up　—　I　had　finally　broken　
through　his　carefully　posed　mask。　His　face　was　incredulous；　with　just　
a　hint　of　the　anger　I'd　feared。　

〃No；〃　I　said　softly。　〃It　doesn't　matter　to　me　what　you　are。〃　

A　hard；　mocking　ed