暮色-第35部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


in　it：　a　silver　car。　My　heart　thudded；　stuttered；　and　then　picked　up　
again　in　double　time。　

I　didn't　see　where　he　came　from；　but　suddenly　he　was　there；　pulling　the　
door　open　for　me。　

〃Do　you　want　to　ride　with　me　today？〃　he　asked；　amused　by　my　expression　as　
he　caught　me　by　surprise　yet　again。　There　was　uncertainty　in　his　voice。　
He　was　really　giving　me　a　choice　—　I　was　free　to　refuse；　and　part　of　him　
hoped　for　that。　It　was　a　vain　hope。　

〃Yes；　thank　you；〃　I　said；　trying　to　keep　my　voice　calm。　As　I　stepped　into　
the　warm　car；　I　noticed　his　tan　jacket　was　slung　over　the　headrest　of　the　
passenger　seat。　The　door　closed　behind　me；　and；　sooner　than　should　be　
possible；　he　was　sitting　next　to　me；　starting　the　car。　

〃I　brought　the　jacket　for　you。　I　didn't　want　you　to　get　sick　or　
something。〃　His　voice　was　guarded。　I　noticed　that　he　wore　no　jacket　
himself；　just　a　light　gray　knit　Vneck　shirt　with　long　sleeves。　Again；　
the　fabric　clung　to　his　perfectly　muscled　chest。　It　was　a　colossal　
tribute　to　his　face　that　it　kept　my　eyes　away　from　his　body。　

〃I'm　not　quite　that　delicate；〃　I　said；　but　I　pulled　the　jacket　onto　my　
lap；　pushing　my　arms　through　the　toolong　sleeves；　curious　to　see　if　the　
scent　could　possibly　be　as　good　as　I　remembered。　It　was　better。　

〃Aren't　you？〃　he　contradicted　in　a　voice　so　low　I　wasn't　sure　if　he　meant　
for　me　to　hear。　

We　drove　through　the　fogshrouded　streets；　always　too　fast；　feeling　
awkward。　I　was；　at　least。　Last　night　all　the　walls　were　down…　almost　all。　

I　didn't　know　if　we　were　still　being　as　candid　today。　It　left　me　
tonguetied。　I　waited　for　him　to　speak。　

He　turned　to　smirk　at　me。　〃What；　no　twenty　questions　today？〃　

〃Do　my　questions　bother　you？〃　I　asked；　relieved。　

〃Not　as　much　as　your　reactions　do。〃　He　looked　like　he　was　joking；　but　I　
couldn't　be　sure。　

I　frowned。　〃Do　I　react　badly？〃　

〃No；　that's　the　problem。　You　take　everything　so　coolly　—　it's　unnatural。　
It　makes　me　wonder　what　you're　really　thinking。〃　

〃I　always　tell　you　what　I'm　really　thinking。〃　

〃You　edit；〃　he　accused。　

〃Not　very　much。〃　

〃Enough　to　drive　me　insane。〃　

〃You　don't　want　to　hear　it；〃　I　mumbled；　almost　whispered。　As　soon　as　the　
words　were　out；　I　regretted　them。　The　pain　in　my　voice　was　very　faint；　I　
could　only　hope　he　hadn't　noticed　it。　

He　didn't　respond；　and　I　wondered　if　I　had　ruined　the　mood。　His　face　was　
unreadable　as　we　drove　into　the　school　parking　lot。　Something　occurred　to　
me　belatedly。　

〃Where's　the　rest　of　your　family？〃　I　asked　—　more　than　glad　to　be　alone　
with　him；　but　remembering　that　his　car　was　usually　full。　

〃They　took　Rosalie's　car。〃　He　shrugged　as　he　parked　next　to　a　glossy　red　
convertible　with　the　top　up。　〃Ostentatious；　isn't　it？〃　

〃Um；　wow；〃　I　breathed。　〃If　she　has　that；　why　does　she　ride　with　you？〃　

〃Like　I　said；　it's　ostentatious。　We　try　to　blend　in。〃　

〃You　don't　succeed。〃　I　laughed　and　shook　my　head　as　we　got　out　of　the　
car。　I　wasn't　late　anymore；　his　lunatic　driving　had　gotten　me　to　school　
in　plenty　of　time。　〃So　why　did　Rosalie　drive　today　if　it's　more　
conspicuous？〃　

〃Hadn't　you　noticed？　I'm　breaking　all　the　rules　now。〃　He　met　me　at　the　
front　of　the　car；　staying　very　close　to　my　side　as　we　walked　onto　campus。　
I　wanted　to　close　that　little　distance；　to　reach　out　and　touch　him；　but　I　
was　afraid　he　wouldn't　like　me　to。　

〃Why　do　you　have　cars　like　that　at　all？〃　I　wondered　aloud。　〃If　you're　
looking　for　privacy？〃　

〃An　indulgence；〃　he　admitted　with　an　impish　smile。　〃We　all　like　to　drive　
fast。〃　

〃Figures；〃　I　muttered　under　my　breath。　

Under　the　shelter　of　the　cafeteria　roof's　overhang；　Jessica　was　waiting；　
her　eyes　about　to　bug　out　of　their　sockets。　Over　her　arm；　bless　her；　was　
my　jacket。　

〃Hey；　Jessica；〃　I　said　when　we　were　a　few　feet　away。　〃Thanks　for　
remembering。〃　She　handed　me　my　jacket　without　speaking。　

〃Good　morning；　Jessica；〃　Edward　said　politely。　It　wasn't　really　his　fault　
that　his　voice　was　so　irresistible。　Or　what　his　eyes　were　capable　of。　

〃Er…　hi。〃　She　shifted　her　wide　eyes　to　me；　trying　to　gather　her　jumbled　
thoughts。　〃I　guess　I'll　see　you　in　Trig。〃　She　gave　me　a　meaningful　look；　
and　I　suppressed　a　sigh。　What　on　earth　was　I　going　to　tell　her？　

〃Yeah；　I'll　see　you　then。〃　

She　walked　away；　pausing　twice　to　peek　back　over　her　shoulder　at　us。　

〃What　are　you　going　to　tell　her？〃　Edward　murmured。　

〃Hey；　I　thought　you　couldn't　read　my　mind！〃　I　hissed。　

〃I　can't；〃　he　said；　startled。　Then　understanding　brightened　his　eyes。　
〃However；　I　can　read　hers　—　she'll　be　waiting　to　ambush　you　in　class。〃　

I　groaned　as　I　pulled　off　his　jacket　and　handed　it　to　him；　replacing　it　
with　my　own。　He　folded　it　over　his　arm。　

〃So　what　are　you　going　to　tell　her？〃　

〃A　little　help？〃　I　pleaded。　〃What　does　she　want　to　know？〃　

He　shook　his　head；　grinning　wickedly。　〃That's　not　fair。〃　

〃No；　you　not　sharing　what　you　know　—　now　that's　not　fair。〃　

He　deliberated　for　a　moment　as　we　walked。　We　stopped　outside　the　door　to　
my　first　class。　

〃She　wants　to　know　if　we're　secretly　dating。　And　she　wants　to　know　how　
you　feel　about　me；〃　he　finally　said。　

〃Yikes。　What　should　I　say？〃　I　tried　to　keep　my　expression　very　innocent。　
People　were　passing　us　on　their　way　to　class；　probably　staring；　but　I　was　
barely　aware　of　them。　

〃Hmmm。〃　He　paused　to　catch　a　stray　lock　of　hair　that　was　escaping　the　
twist　on　my　neck　and　wound　it　back　into　place。　My　heart　spluttered　
hyperactively。　〃I　suppose　you　could　say　yes　to　the　first…　if　you　don't　
mind　—　it's　easier　than　any　other　explanation。〃　

〃I　don't　mind；〃　I　said　in　a　faint　voice。　

〃And　as　for　her　other　question…　well；　I'll　be　listening　to　hear　the　
answer　to　that　one　myself。〃　One　side　of　his　mouth　pulled　up　into　my　
favorite　uneven　smile。　I　couldn't　catch　my　breath　soon　enough　to　respond　
to　that　remark。　He　turned　and　walked　away。　

〃I'll　see　you　at　lunch；〃　he　called　over　his　shoulder。　Three　people　
walking　in　the　door　stopped　to　stare　at　me。　

I　hurried　into　class；　flushed　and　irritated。　He　was　such　a　cheater。　Now　I　
was　even　more　worried　about　what　I　was　going　to　say　to　Jessica。　I　sat　in　
my　usual　seat；　slamming　my　bag　down　in　aggravation。　

〃Morning；　Bella；〃　Mike　said　from　the　seat　next　to　me。　I　looked　up　to　see　
an　odd；　almost　resigned　look　on　his　face。　〃How　was　Port　Angeles？〃　

〃It　was…〃　There　was　no　honest　way　to　sum　it　up。　〃Great；〃　I　finished　
lamely。　〃Jessica　got　a　really　cute　dress。〃　

〃Did　she　say　anything　about　Monday　night？〃　he　asked；　his　eyes　
brightening。　I　smiled　at　the　turn　the　conversation　had　taken。　

〃She　said　she　had　a　really　good　time；〃　I　assured　him。　

〃She　did？〃　he　said　eagerly。　

〃Most　definitely。〃　

Mr。　Mason　called　the　class　to　order　then；　asking　us　to　turn　in　our　
papers。　English　and　then　Government　passed　in　a　blur；　while　I　worried　
about　how　to　explain　things　to　Jessica　and　agonized　over　whether　Edward　
would　really　be　listening　to　what　I　said　through　the　medium　of　Jess's　
thoughts。　How　very　inconvenient　his　little　talent　could　be　—　when　it　

wasn't　saving　my　life。　

The　fog　had　almost　dissolved　by　the　end　of　the　second　hour；　but　the　day　
was　still　dark　with　low；　oppressing　clouds。　I　smiled　up　at　the　sky。　

Edward　was　right；　of　course。　When　I　walked　into　Trig　Jessica　was　sitting　
in　the　back　row；　nearly　bouncing　off　her　seat　in　agitation。　I　reluctantly　
went　to　sit　by　her；　trying　to　convince　myself　it　would　be　better　to　get　
it　over　with　as　soon　as　possible。　

〃Tell　me　everything！〃　she　manded　before　I　was　in　the　seat。　

〃What　do　you　want　to　know？〃　I　hedged。　

〃What　happened　last　night？〃　

〃He　bought　me　dinner；　and　then　he　drove　me　home。〃　

She　glared　at　me；　her　expression　stiff　with　skepticism。　〃How　did　you　get　
home　so　fast？〃　

〃He　drives　like　a　maniac。　It　was　terrifying。〃　I　hoped　he　heard　that。　

〃Was　it　like　a　date　—　did　you　tell　him　to　meet　you　there？〃　

I　hadn't　thought　of　that。　〃No　—　I　was　very　surprised　to　see　him　there。〃　

Her　lips　puckered　in　disappointment　at　the　transparent　honesty　in　my　
voice。　

〃But　he　picked　you　up　for　school　today？〃　she　probed。　

〃Yes　—　that　was　a　surprise；　too。　He　noticed