暮色-第43部分

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〃And　the　others？〃　I　asked　timidly。　〃What　are　they？〃　

His　brow　puckered　for　a　brief　moment。　〃Incredulous；　for　the　most　part。〃　

I　peeked　quickly　behind　me　at　his　family。　They　sat　staring　off　in　
different　directions；　exactly　the　same　as　the　first　time　I'd　seen　them。　
Only　now　they　were　four；　their　beautiful；　bronzehaired　brother　sat　
across　from　me；　his　golden　eyes　troubled。　

〃They　don't　like　me；〃　I　guessed。　

〃That's　not　it；〃　he　disagreed；　but　his　eyes　were　too　innocent。　〃They　
don't　understand　why　I　can't　leave　you　alone。〃　

I　grimaced。　〃Neither　do　I；　for　that　matter。〃　

Edward　shook　his　head　slowly；　rolling　his　eyes　toward　the　ceiling　before　
he　met　my　gaze　again。　〃I　told　you　—　you　don't　see　yourself　clearly　at　
all。　You're　not　like　anyone　I've　ever　known。　You　fascinate　me。〃　

I　glared　at　him；　sure　he　was　teasing　now。　

He　smiled　as　he　deciphered　my　expression。　〃Having　the　advantages　I　do；〃　
he　murmured；　touching　his　forehead　discreetly；　〃I　have　a　better　than　
average　grasp　of　human　nature。　People　are　predictable。　But　you…　you　never　
do　what　I　expect。　You　always　take　me　by　surprise。〃　

I　looked　away；　my　eyes　wandering　back　to　his　family；　embarrassed　and　
dissatisfied。　His　words　made　me　feel　like　a　science　experiment。　I　wanted　
to　laugh　at　myself　for　expecting　anything　else。　

〃That　part　is　easy　enough　to　explain；〃　he　continued。　I　felt　his　eyes　on　
my　face　but　I　couldn't　look　at　him　yet；　afraid　he　might　read　the　chagrin　
in　my　eyes。　〃But　there's　more…　and　it's　not　so　easy　to　put　into　words　—〃　

I　was　still　staring　at　the　Cullens　while　he　spoke。　Suddenly　Rosalie；　his　
blond　and　breathtaking　sister；　turned　to　look　at　me。　No；　not　to　look　—　to　
glare；　with　dark；　cold　eyes。　I　wanted　to　look　away；　but　her　gaze　held　me　
until　Edward　broke　off　midsentence　and　made　an　angry　noise　under　his　
breath。　It　was　almost　a　hiss。　

Rosalie　turned　her　head；　and　I　was　relieved　to　be　free。　I　looked　back　at　
Edward　—　and　I　knew　he　could　see　the　confusion　and　fear　that　widened　my　
eyes。　

His　face　was　tight　as　he　explained。　〃I'm　sorry　about　that。　She's　just　
worried。　You　see…　it's　dangerous　for　more　than　just　me　if；　after　spending　
so　much　time　with　you　so　publicly…〃　He　looked　down。　

〃If？〃　

〃If　this　ends…　badly。〃　He　dropped　his　head　into　his　hands；　as　he　had　that　
night　in　Port　Angeles。　His　anguish　was　plain；　I　yearned　to　fort　him；　
but　I　was　at　a　loss　to　know　how。　My　hand　reached　toward　him　
involuntarily；　quickly；　though；　I　dropped　it　to　the　table；　fearing　that　
my　touch　would　only　make　things　worse。　I　realized　slowly　that　his　words　
should　frighten　me。　I　waited　for　that　fear　to　e；　but　all　I　could　seem　

to　feel　was　an　ache　for　his　pain。　

And　frustration　—　frustration　that　Rosalie　had　interrupted　whatever　he　
was　about　to　say。　I　didn't　know　how　to　bring　it　up　again。　He　still　had　
his　head　in　his　hands。　

I　tried　to　speak　in　a　normal　voice。　〃And　you　have　to　leave　now？〃　

〃Yes。〃　He　raised　his　face；　it　was　serious　for　a　moment；　and　then　his　mood　
shifted　and　he　smiled。　〃It's　probably　for　the　best。　We　still　have　fifteen　
minutes　of　that　wretched　movie　left　to　endure　in　Biology　—　I　don't　think　
I　could　take　any　more。〃　

I　started。　Alice　—　her　short；　inky　hair　in　a　halo　of　spiky　disarray　
around　her　exquisite；　elfin　face　—　was　suddenly　standing　behind　his　
shoulder。　Her　slight　frame　was　willowy；　graceful　even　in　absolute　
stillness。　

He　greeted　her　without　looking　away　from　me。　〃Alice。〃　

〃Edward；〃　she　answered；　her　high　soprano　voice　almost　as　attractive　as　
his。　

〃Alice；　Bella　—　Bella；　Alice；〃　he　introduced　us；　gesturing　casually　with　
his　hand；　a　wry　smile　on　his　face。　

〃Hello；　Bella。〃　Her　brilliant　obsidian　eyes　were　unreadable；　but　her　
smile　was　friendly。　〃It's　nice　to　finally　meet　you。〃　

Edward　flashed　a　dark　look　at　her。　

〃Hi；　Alice；〃　I　murmured　shyly。　

〃Are　you　ready？〃　she　asked　him。　

His　voice　was　aloof。　〃Nearly。　I'll　meet　you　at　the　car。〃　

She　left　without　another　word；　her　walk　was　so　fluid；　so　sinuous　that　I　
felt　a　sharp　pang　of　jealousy。　

〃Should　I　say　'have　fun；'　or　is　that　the　wrong　sentiment？〃　I　asked；　
turning　back　to　him。　

〃No；　'have　fun'　works　as　well　as　anything。〃　He　grinned。　

〃Have　fun；　then。〃　I　worked　to　sound　wholehearted。　Of　course　I　didn't　fool　
him。　

〃I'll　try。〃　He　still　grinned。　〃And　you　try　to　be　safe；　please。〃　

〃Safe　in　Forks　—　what　a　challenge。〃　

〃For　you　it　is　a　challenge。〃　His　jaw　hardened。　〃Promise。〃　

〃I　promise　to　try　to　be　safe；〃　I　recited。　〃I'll　do　the　laundry　tonight　—　
that　ought　to　be　fraught　with　peril。〃　

〃Don't　fall　in；〃　he　mocked。　

〃I'll　do　my　best。〃　

He　stood　then；　and　I　rose；　too。　

〃I'll　see　you　tomorrow；〃　I　sighed。　

〃It　seems　like　a　long　time　to　you；　doesn't　it？〃　he　mused。　

I　nodded　glumly。　

〃I'll　be　there　in　the　morning；〃　he　promised；　smiling　his　crooked　smile。　
He　reached　across　the　table　to　touch　my　face；　lightly　brushing　along　my　
cheekbone　again。　Then　he　turned　and　walked　away。　I　stared　after　him　until　

he　was　gone。　

I　was　sorely　tempted　to　ditch　the　rest　of　the　day；　at　the　very　least　Gym；　
but　a　warning　instinct　stopped　me。　I　knew　that　if　I　disappeared　now；　Mike　
and　others　would　assume　I　was　with　Edward。　And　Edward　was　worried　about　
the　time　we'd　spent　together　publicly…　if　things　went　wrong。　I　refused　to　
dwell　on　the　last　thought；　concentrating　instead　on　making　things　safer　
for　him。　

I　intuitively　knew　—　and　sensed　he　did；　too　—　that　tomorrow　would　be　
pivotal。　Our　relationship　couldn't　continue　to　balance；　as　it　did；　on　the　
point　of　a　knife。　We　would　fall　off　one　edge　or　the　other；　depending　
entirely　upon　his　decision；　or　his　instincts。　My　decision　was　made；　made　
before　I'd　ever　consciously　chosen；　and　I　was　mitted　to　seeing　it　
through。　Because　there　was　nothing　more　terrifying　to　me；　more　
excruciating；　than　the　thought　of　turning　away　from　him。　It　was　an　
impossibility。　

I　went　to　class；　feeling　dutiful。　I　couldn't　honestly　say　what　happened　
in　Biology；　my　mind　was　too　preoccupied　with　thoughts　of　tomorrow。　In　
Gym；　Mike　was　speaking　to　me　again；　he　wished　me　a　good　time　in　Seattle。　
I　carefully　explained　that　I'd　canceled　my　trip；　worried　about　my　truck。　

〃Are　you　going　to　the　dance　with　Cullen？〃　he　asked；　suddenly　sulky。　

〃No；　I'm　not　going　to　the　dance　at　all。〃　

〃What　are　you　doing；　then？〃　he　asked；　too　interested。　

My　natural　urge　was　to　tell　him　to　butt　out。　Instead；　I　lied　brightly。　

〃Laundry；　and　then　I　have　to　study　for　the　Trig　test　or　I'm　going　to　
fail。〃　

〃Is　Cullen　helping　you　study？〃　

〃Edward；〃　I　emphasized；　〃is　not　going　to　help　me　study。　He's　gone　away　
somewhere　for　the　weekend。〃　The　lies　came　more　naturally　than　usual；　I　
noted　with　surprise。　

〃Oh。〃　He　perked　up。　〃You　know；　you　could　e　to　the　dance　with　our　group　
anyway　—　that　would　be　cool。　We'd　all　dance　with　you；〃　he　promised。　

The　mental　image　of　Jessica's　face　made　my　tone　sharper　than　necessary。　

〃I'm　not　going　to　the　dance；　Mike；　okay？〃　

〃Fine。〃　He　sulked　again。　〃I　was　just　offering。〃　

When　the　school　day　had　finally　ended；　I　walked　to　the　parking　lot　
without　enthusiasm。　I　did　not　especially　want　to　walk　home；　but　I　
couldn't　see　how　he　would　have　retrieved　my　truck。　Then　again；　I　was　
starting　to　believe　that　nothing　was　impossible　for　him。　The　latter　
instinct　proved　correct　—　my　truck　sat　in　the　same　space　he'd　parked　his　
Volvo　in　this　morning。　I　shook　my　head；　incredulous；　as　I　opened　the　
unlocked　door　and　saw　the　key　in　the　ignition。　

There　was　a　piece　of　white　paper　folded　on　my　seat。　I　got　in　and　closed　
the　door　before　I　unfolded　it。　Two　words　were　written　in　his　elegant　
script。　



Be　safe。　

The　sound　of　the　truck　roaring　to　life　frightened　me。　I　laughed　at　myself。　

When　I　got　home；　the　handle　of　the　door　was　locked；　the　dead　bolt　
unlocked；　just　as　I'd　left　it　this　morning。　Inside；　I　went　straight　to　
the　laundry　room。　It　looked　just　the　same　as　I'd　left　it；　too。　I　dug　for　
my　jeans　and；　after　finding　them；　checked　the　pockets。　Empty。　Maybe　I'd　
hung　my　key　up　after　all；　I　thought；　shaking　my　head。　

Following　the　same　instinct　that　had