暮色-第8部分

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suspicions　about　Eric；　who　was　walking　away；　his　back　toward　us　—　in　the　
wrong　direction　for　his　next　class。　Mike　appatently　had　the　same　notion。　
He　bent　over　and　began　scraping　together　a　pile　of　the　white　mush。　

〃I'll　see　you　at　lunch；　okay？〃　I　kept　walking　as　I　spoke。　〃Once　people　
start　throwing　wet　stuff；　I　go　inside。〃　

He　just　nodded；　his　eyes　on　Eric's　retreating　figure。　

Throughout　the　morning；　everyone　chattered　excitedly　about　the　snow；　
apparently　it　was　the　first　snowfall　of　the　new　year。　I　kept　my　mouth　
shut。　Sure；　it　was　drier　than　rain　—　until　it　melted　in　your　socks。　

I　walked　alertly　to　the　cafeteria　with　Jessica　after　Spanish。　Mush　balls　
were　flying　everywhere。　I　kept　a　binder　in　my　hands；　ready　to　use　it　as　a　
shield　if　necessary。　Jessica　thought　I　was　hilarious；　but　something　in　my　
expression　kept　her　from　lobbing　a　snowball　at　me　herself。　

Mike　caught　up　to　us　as　we　walked　in　the　doors；　laughing；　with　ice　
melting　the　spikes　in　his　hair。　He　and　Jessica　were　talking　animatedly　
about　the　snow　fight　as　we　got　in　line　to　buy　food。　I　glanced　toward　that　
table　in　the　corner　out　of　habit。　And　then　I　froze　where　I　stood。　There　
were　five　people　at　the　table。　

Jessica　pulled　on　my　arm。　

〃Hello？　Bella？　What　do　you　want？〃　

I　looked　down；　my　ears　were　hot。　I　had　no　reason　to　feel　selfconscious；　
I　reminded　myself。　I　hadn't　done　anything　wrong。　

〃What's　with　Bella？〃　Mike　asked　Jessica。　

〃Nothing；〃　I　answered。　〃I'll　just　get　a　soda　today。〃　I　caught　up　to　the　
end　of　the　line。　

〃Aren't　you　hungry？〃　Jessica　asked。　

〃Actually；　I　feel　a　little　sick；〃　I　said；　my　eyes　still　on　the　floor。　

I　waited　for　them　to　get　their　food；　and　then　followed　them　to　a　table；　
my　eyes　on　my　feet。　

I　sipped　my　soda　slowly；　my　stomach　churning。　Twice　Mike　asked；　with　
unnecessary　concern；　how　I　was　feeling。　

I　told　him　it　was　nothing；　but　I　was　wondering　if　I　should　play　it　up　and　
escape　to　the　nurse's　office　for　the　next　hour。　

Ridiculous。　I　shouldn't　have　to　run　away。　

I　decided　to　permit　myself　one　glance　at　the　Cullen　family's　table。　If　he　
was　glaring　at　me；　I　would　skip　Biology；　like　the　coward　I　was。　

I　kept　my　head　down　and　glanced　up　under　my　lashes。　None　of　them　were　
looking　this　way。　I　lifted　my　head　a　little。　

They　were　laughing。　Edward；　Jasper；　and　Emmett　all　had　their　hair　
entirely　saturated　with　melting　snow。　Alice　and　Rosalie　were　leaning　away　
as　Emmett　shook　his　dripping　hair　toward　them。　They　were　enjoying　the　
snowy　day；　just　like　everyone　else　—　only　they　looked　more　like　a　scene　
from　a　movie　than　the　rest　of　us。　

But；　aside　from　the　laughter　and　playfulness；　there　was　something　
different；　and　I　couldn't　quite　pinpoint　what　that　difference　was。　I　
examined　Edward　the　most　carefully。　His　skin　was　less　pale；　I　decided　—　
flushed　from　the　snow　fight　maybe　—　the　circles　under　his　eyes　much　less　
noticeable。　But　there　was　something　more。　I　pondered；　staring；　trying　to　
isolate　the　change。　

〃Bella；　what　are　you　staring　at？〃　Jessica　intruded；　her　eyes　following　my　
stare。　

At　that　precise　moment；　his　eyes　flashed　over　to　meet　mine。　

I　dropped　my　head；　letting　my　hair　fall　to　conceal　my　face。　I　was　sure；　
though；　in　the　instant　our　eyes　met；　that　he　didn't　look　harsh　or　
unfriendly　as　he　had　the　last　time　I'd　seen　him。　He　looked　merely　curious　
again；　unsatisfied　in　some　way。　

〃Edward　Cullen　is　staring　at　you；〃　Jessica　giggled　in　my　ear。　

〃He　doesn't　look　angry；　does　he？〃　I　couldn't　help　asking。　

〃No；〃　she　said；　sounding　confused　by　my　question。　〃Should　he　be？〃　

〃I　don't　think　he　likes　me；〃　I　confided。　I　still　felt　queasy。　I　put　my　
head　down　on　my　arm。　

〃The　Cullens　don't　like　anybody…　well；　they　don't　notice　anybody　enough　
to　like　them。　But　he's　still　staring　at　you。〃　

〃Stop　looking　at　him；〃　I　hissed。　

She　snickered；　but　she　looked　away。　I　raised　my　head　enough　to　make　sure　
that　she　did；　contemplating　violence　if　she　resisted。　

Mike　interrupted　us　then　—　he　was　planning　an　epic　battle　of　the　blizzard　
in　the　parking　lot　after　school　and　wanted　us　to　join。　Jessica　agreed　
enthusiastically。　The　way　she　looked　at　Mike　left　little　doubt　that　she　
would　be　up　for　anything　he　suggested。　I　kept　silent。　I　would　have　to　
hide　in　the　gym　until　the　parking　lot　cleared。　

For　the　rest　of　the　lunch　hour　I　very　carefully　kept　my　eyes　at　my　own　
table。　I　decided　to　honor　the　bargain　I'd　made　with　myself。　Since　he　
didn't　look　angry；　I　would　go　to　Biology。　My　stomach　did　frightened　
little　flips　at　the　thought　of　sitting　next　to　him　again。　

I　didn't　really　want　to　walk　to　class　with　Mike　as　usual　—　he　seemed　to　
be　a　popular　target　for　the　snowball　snipers　—　but　when　we　went　to　the　
door；　everyone　besides　me　groaned　in　unison。　It　was　raining；　washing　all　
traces　of　the　snow　away　in　clear；　icy　ribbons　down　the　side　of　the　
walkway。　I　pulled　my　hood　up；　secretly　pleased。　I　would　be　free　to　go　
straight　home　after　Gym。　

Mike　kept　up　a　string　of　plaints　on　the　way　to　building　four。　

Once　inside　the　classroom；　I　saw　with　relief　that　my　table　was　still　
empty。　Mr。　Banner　was　walking　around　the　room；　distributing　one　
microscope　and　box　of　slides　to　each　table。　Class　didn't　start　for　a　few　
minutes；　and　the　room　buzzed　with　conversation。　I　kept　my　eyes　away　from　
the　door；　doodling　idly　on　the　cover　of　my　notebook。　

I　heard　very　clearly　when　the　chair　next　to　me　moved；　but　my　eyes　stayed　
carefully　focused　on　the　pattern　I　was　drawing。　

〃Hello；〃　said　a　quiet；　musical　voice。　

I　looked　up；　stunned　that　he　was　speaking　to　me。　He　was　sitting　as　far　
away　from　me　as　the　desk　allowed；　but　his　chair　was　angled　toward　me。　His　
hair　was　dripping　wet；　disheveled　—　even　so；　he　looked　like　he'd　just　
finished　shooting　a　mercial　for　hair　gel。　His　dazzling　face　was　
friendly；　open；　a　slight　smile　on　his　flawless　lips。　But　his　eyes　were　
careful。　

〃My　name　is　Edward　Cullen；〃　he　continued。　〃I　didn't　have　a　chance　to　
introduce　myself　last　week。　You　must　be　Bella　Swan。〃　

My　mind　was　spinning　with　confusion。　Had　I　made　up　the　whole　thing？　He　
was　perfectly　polite　now。　I　had　to　speak；　he　was　waiting。　But　I　couldn't　
think　of　anything　conventional　to　say。　

〃Hhow　do　you　know　my　name？〃　I　stammered。　

He　laughed　a　soft；　enchanting　laugh。　

〃Oh；　I　think　everyone　knows　your　name。　The　whole　town's　been　waiting　for　
you　to　arrive。〃　

I　grimaced。　I　knew　it　was　something　like　that。　

〃No；〃　I　persisted　stupidly。　〃I　meant；　why　did　you　call　me　Bella？〃　

He　seemed　confused。　〃Do　you　prefer　Isabella？〃　

〃No；　I　like　Bella；〃　I　said。　〃But　I　think　Charlie　—　I　mean　my　dad　—　must　
call　me　Isabella　behind　my　back　—　that's　what　everyone　here　seems　to　know　
me　as；〃　I　tried　to　explain；　feeling　like　an　utter　moron。　

〃Oh。〃　He　let　it　drop。　I　looked　away　awkwardly。　

Thankfully；　Mr。　Banner　started　class　at　that　moment。　I　tried　to　
concentrate　as　he　explained　the　lab　we　would　be　doing　today。　The　slides　
in　the　box　were　out　of　order。　Working　as　lab　partners；　we　had　to　separate　
the　slides　of　onion　root　tip　cells　into　the　phases　of　mitosis　they　
represented　and　label　them　accordingly。　We　weren't　supposed　to　use　our　
books。　In　twenty　minutes；　he　would　be　ing　around　to　see　who　had　it　
right。　

〃Get　started；〃　he　manded。　

〃Ladies　first；　partner？〃　Edward　asked。　I　looked　up　to　see　him　smiling　a　
crooked　smile　so　beautiful　that　I　could　only　stare　at　him　like　an　idiot。　

〃Or　I　could　start；　if　you　wish。〃　The　smile　faded；　he　was　obviously　
wondering　if　I　was　mentally　petent。　

〃No；〃　I　said；　flushing。　〃I'll　go　ahead。〃　

I　was　showing　off；　just　a　little。　I'd　already　done　this　lab；　and　I　knew　
what　I　was　looking　for。　It　should　be　easy。　I　snapped　the　first　slide　into　
place　under　the　microscope　and　adjusted　it　quickly　to　the　40X　objective。　
I　studied　the　slide　briefly。　

My　assessment　was　confident。　〃Prophase。〃　

〃Do　you　mind　if　I　look？〃　he　asked　as　I　began　to　remove　the　slide。　His　
hand　caught　mine；　to　stop　me；　as　he　asked。　His　fingers　were　icecold；　
like　he'd　been　holding　them　in　a　snowdrift　before　class。　But　that　wasn't　
why　I　jerked　my　hand　away　so　quickly。　When　he