暮色-第9部分

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why　I　jerked　my　hand　away　so　quickly。　When　he　touched　me；　it　stung　my　
hand　as　if　an　electric　current　had　passed　through　us。　

〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　muttered；　pulling　his　hand　back　immediately。　However；　he　
continued　to　reach　for　the　microscope。　I　watched　him；　still　staggered；　as　
he　examined　the　slide　for　an　even　shorter　time　than　I　had。　

〃Prophase；〃　he　agreed；　writing　it　neatly　in　the　first　space　on　our　
worksheet。　He　swiftly　switched　out　the　first　slide　for　the　second；　and　
then　glanced　at　it　cursorily。　

〃Anaphase；〃　he　murmured；　writing　it　down　as　he　spoke。　

I　kept　my　voice　indifferent。　〃May　I？〃　

He　smirked　and　pushed　the　microscope　to　me。　

I　looked　through　the　eyepiece　eagerly；　only　to　be　disappointed。　Dang　it；　
he　was　right。　

〃Slide　three？〃　I　held　out　my　hand　without　looking　at　him。　

He　handed　it　to　me；　it　seemed　like　he　was　being　careful　not　to　touch　my　
skin　again。　

I　took　the　most　fleeting　look　I　could　manage。　

〃Interphase。〃　I　passed　him　the　microscope　before　he　could　ask　for　it。　He　
took　a　swift　peek；　and　then　wrote　it　down。　I　would　have　written　it　while　
he　looked；　but　his　clear；　elegant　script　intimidated　me。　I　didn't　want　to　
spoil　the　page　with　my　clumsy　scrawl。　

We　were　finished　before　anyone　else　was　close。　I　could　see　Mike　and　his　
partner　paring　two　slides　again　and　again；　and　another　group　had　their　
book　open　under　the　table。　

Which　left　me　with　nothing　to　do　but　try　to　not　look　at　him…　
unsuccessfully。　I　glanced　up；　and　he　was　staring　at　me；　that　same　
inexplicable　look　of　frustration　in　his　eyes。　Suddenly　I　identified　that　
subtle　difference　in　his　face。　

〃Did　you　get　contacts？〃　I　blurted　out　unthinkingly。　

He　seemed　puzzled　by　my　unexpected　question。　〃No。〃　

〃Oh；〃　I　mumbled。　〃I　thought　there　was　something　different　about　your　
eyes。〃　

He　shrugged；　and　looked　away。　

In　fact；　I　was　sure　there　was　something　different。　I　vividly　remembered　

the　flat　black　color　of　his　eyes　the　last　time　he'd　glared　at　me　—　the　
color　was　striking　against　the　background　of　his　pale　skin　and　his　auburn　
hair。　Today；　his　eyes　were　a　pletely　different　color：　a　strange　ocher；　
darker　than　butterscotch；　but　with　the　same　golden　tone。　I　didn't　
understand　how　that　could　be；　unless　he　was　lying　for　some　reason　about　
the　contacts。　Or　maybe　Forks　was　making　me　crazy　in　the　literal　sense　of　
the　word。　

I　looked　down。　His　hands　were　clenched　into　hard　fists　again。　

Mr。　Banner　came　to　our　table　then；　to　see　why　we　weren't　working。　He　
looked　over　our　shoulders　to　glance　at　the　pleted　lab；　and　then　stared　
more　intently　to　check　the　answers。　

〃So；　Edward；　didn't　you　think　Isabella　should　get　a　chance　with　the　
microscope？〃　Mr。　Banner　asked。　

〃Bella；〃　Edward　corrected　automatically。　〃Actually；　she　identified　three　
of　the　five。〃　

Mr。　Banner　looked　at　me　now；　his　expression　was　skeptical。　

〃Have　you　done　this　lab　before？〃　he　asked。　

I　smiled　sheepishly。　〃Not　with　onion　root。〃　

〃Whitefish　blastula？〃　

〃Yeah。〃　

Mr。　Banner　nodded。　〃Were　you　in　an　advanced　placement　program　in　Phoenix？〃　

〃Yes。〃　

〃Well；〃　he　said　after　a　moment；　〃I　guess　it's　good　you　two　are　lab　
partners。〃　He　mumbled　something　else　as　he　walked　away。　After　he　left；　I　
began　doodling　on　my　notebook　again。　

〃It's　too　bad　about　the　snow；　isn't　it？〃　Edward　asked。　I　had　the　feeling　
that　he　was　forcing　himself　to　make　small　talk　with　me。　Paranoia　swept　
over　me　again。　It　was　like　he　had　heard　my　conversation　with　Jessica　at　
lunch　and　was　trying　to　prove　me　wrong。　

〃Not　really；〃　I　answered　honestly；　instead　of　pretending　to　be　normal　
like　everyone　else。　I　was　still　trying　to　dislodge　the　stupid　feeling　of　
suspicion；　and　I　couldn't　concentrate。　

〃You　don't　like　the　cold。〃　It　wasn't　a　question。　

〃Or　the　wet。〃　

〃Forks　must　be　a　difficult　place　for　you　to　live；〃　he　mused。　

〃You　have　no　idea；〃　I　muttered　darkly。　

He　looked　fascinated　by　what　I　said；　for　some　reason　I　couldn't　imagine。　
His　face　was　such　a　distraction　that　I　tried　not　to　look　at　it　any　more　
than　courtesy　absolutely　demanded。　

〃Why　did　you　e　here；　then？〃　

No　one　had　asked　me　that　—　not　straight　out　like　he　did；　demanding。　

〃It's…　plicated。〃　

〃I　think　I　can　keep　up；〃　he　pressed。　

I　paused　for　a　long　moment；　and　then　made　the　mistake　of　meeting　his　
gaze。　His　dark　gold　eyes　confused　me；　and　I　answered　without　thinking。　

〃My　mother　got　remarried；〃　I　said。　

〃That　doesn't　sound　so　plex；〃　he　disagreed；　but　he　was　suddenly　
sympathetic。　〃When　did　that　happen？〃　

〃Last　September。〃　My　voice　sounded　sad；　even　to　me。　

〃And　you　don't　like　him；〃　Edward　surmised；　his　tone　still　kind。　

〃No；　Phil　is　fine。　Too　young；　maybe；　but　nice　enough。〃　

〃Why　didn't　you　stay　with　them？〃　

I　couldn't　fathom　his　interest；　but　he　continued　to　stare　at　me　with　
perating　eyes；　as　if　my　dull　life's　story　was　somehow　vitally　
important。　

〃Phil　travels　a　lot。　He　plays　ball　for　a　living。〃　I　halfsmiled。　

〃Have　I　heard　of　him？〃　he　asked；　smiling　in　response。　

〃Probably　not。　He　doesn't　play　well。　Strictly　minor　league。　He　moves　
around　a　lot。〃　

〃And　your　mother　sent　you　here　so　that　she　could　travel　with　him。〃　He　
said　it　as　an　assumption　again；　not　a　question。　

My　chin　raised　a　fraction。　〃No；　she　did　not　send　me　here。　I　sent　myself。〃　

His　eyebrows　knit　together。　〃I　don't　understand；〃　he　admitted；　and　he　
seemed　unnecessarily　frustrated　by　that　fact。　

I　sighed。　Why　was　I　explaining　this　to　him？　He　continued　to　stare　at　me　
with　obvious　curiosity。　

〃She　stayed　with　me　at　first；　but　she　missed　him。　It　made　her　unhappy…　so　
I　decided　it　was　time　to　spend　some　quality　time　with　Charlie。〃　My　voice　
was　glum　by　the　time　I　finished。　

〃But　now　you're　unhappy；〃　he　pointed　out。　

〃And？〃　I　challenged。　

〃That　doesn't　seem　fair。〃　He　shrugged；　but　his　eyes　were　still　intense。　

I　laughed　without　humor。　〃Hasn't　anyone　ever　told　you？　Life　isn't　fair。〃　

〃I　believe　I　have　heard　that　somewhere　before；〃　he　agreed　dryly。　

〃So　that's　all；〃　I　insisted；　wondering　why　he　was　still　staring　at　me　
that　way。　

His　gaze　became　appraising。　〃You　put　on　a　good　show；〃　he　said　slowly。　
〃But　I'd　be　willing　to　bet　that　you're　suffering　more　than　you　let　anyone　
see。〃　

I　grimaced　at　him；　resisting　the　impulse　to　stick　out　my　tongue　like　a　
fiveyearold；　and　looked　away。　

〃Am　I　wrong？〃　

I　tried　to　ignore　him。　

〃I　didn't　think　so；〃　he　murmured　smugly。　

〃Why　does　it　matter　to　you？〃　I　asked；　irritated。　I　kept　my　eyes　away；　
watching　the　teacher　make　his　rounds。　

〃That's　a　very　good　question；〃　he　muttered；　so　quietly　that　I　wondered　if　
he　was　talking　to　himself。　However；　after　a　few　seconds　of　silence；　I　
decided　that　was　the　only　answer　I　was　going　to　get。　

I　sighed；　scowling　at　the　blackboard。　

〃Am　I　annoying　you？〃　he　asked。　He　sounded　amused。　

I　glanced　at　him　without　thinking…　and　told　the　truth　again。　〃Not　
exactly。　I'm　more　annoyed　at　myself。　My　face　is　so　easy　to　read　—　my　
mother　always　calls　me　her　open　book。〃　I　frowned。　

〃On　the　contrary；　I　find　you　very　difficult　to　read。〃　Despite　everything　
that　I'd　said　and　he'd　guessed；　he　sounded　like　he　meant　it。　

〃You　must　be　a　good　reader　then；〃　I　replied。　

〃Usually。〃　He　smiled　widely；　flashing　a　set　of　perfect；　ultrawhite　teeth。　

Mr。　Banner　called　the　class　to　order　then；　and　I　turned　with　relief　to　
listen。　I　was　in　disbelief　that　I'd　just　explained　my　dreary　life　to　this　
bizarre；　beautiful　boy　who　may　or　may　not　despise　me。　He'd　seemed　
engrossed　in　our　conversation；　but　now　I　could　see；　from　the　corner　of　my　
eye；　that　he　was　leaning　away　from　me　again；　his　hands　gripping　the　edge　
of　the　table　with　unmistakable　tension。　

I　tried　to　appear　attentive　as　Mr。　Banner　illustrated；　with　
transparencies　on　the　overhead　projector；　what　I　had　seen　without　
difficulty　through　the　microscope。　But　my　thoughts　were　unmanageable。　

When　the　bell　finally　rang；　Edward　rushed　as　swiftly　and　as　gracefully　
from　the　room　as　he　had　last　Monday。　And；　like　last　Monday；　I　stared　
after　him　in　amazement。　

Mike　skipped　quickly　to　my　side　and　picked　up　my　books　for　me。　I　imagined　
hi