5 midnigh+sun-第11章
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there were the eyes； brimming over with silent secrets？
Eyes that were suddenly boring into mine。
I stared back at her； trying to guess even one of those secrets。
〃Did you get contacts？〃 she asked abruptly。
What a strange question。 〃No。〃 I almost smiled at the idea of improving my
eyesight。
〃Oh；〃 she mumbled。 〃I thought there was something different about your eyes。〃
I felt suddenly colder again as I realized that I was apparently not the only one
attempting to ferret out secrets today。
I shrugged； my shoulders stiff； and glared straight ahead to where the teacher was
making his rounds。
Of course there was something different about my eyes since the last time she'd
stared into them。 To prepare myself for today's ordeal； today's temptation； I'd spent the
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entire weekend hunting； satiating my thirst as much as possible； overdoing it really。 I'd
glutted myself on the blood of animals； not that it made much difference in the face of the
outrageous flavor floating on the air around her。 When I'd glared at her last； my eyes had
been black with thirst。 Now； my body swimming with blood； my eyes were a warmer
gold。 Light amber from my excessive attempt at thirst…quenching。
Another slip。 If I'd seen what she'd meant with her question； I could have just
told her yes。
I'd sat beside humans for two years now at this school； and she was the first to
examine me closely enough to note the change in my eye color。 The others； while
admiring the beauty of my family； tended to look down quickly when we returned their
stares。 They shied away； blocking the details of our appearances in an instinctive
endeavor to keep themselves from understanding。 Ignorance was bliss to the human
mind。
Why did it have to be this girl who would see too much？
Mr。 Banner approached our table。 I gratefully inhaled the gush of clean air he
brought with him before it could mix with her scent。
〃So； Edward；〃 he said； looking over our answers； 〃didn't you think Isabella
should get a chance with the microscope？〃
〃Bella；〃 I corrected him reflexively。 〃Actually； she identified three of the five。〃
Mr。 Banner's thoughts were skeptical as he turned to look at the girl。 〃Have you
done this lab before？〃
I watched； engrossed； as she smiled； looking slightly embarrassed。
〃Not with onion root。〃
〃Whitefish blastula？〃 Mr。 Banner probed。
〃Yeah。〃
This surprised him。 Today's lab was something he'd pulled from a more
advanced course。 He nodded thoughtfully at the girl。 〃Were you in an advanced
placement program in Phoenix？〃
〃Yes。〃
She was advanced then； intelligent for a human。 This did not surprise me。
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〃Well；〃 Mr。 Banner said； pursing his lips。 〃I guess it's good you two are lab
partners。〃 He turned and walked away mumbling； 〃So the other kids can get a chance to
learn something for themselves；〃 under his breath。 I doubted the girl could hear that。
She began scrawling loops across her folder again。
Two slips so far in one half hour。 A very poor showing on my part。 Though I had
no idea at all what the girl thought of me—how much did she fear； how much did she
suspect？—I knew I needed to put forth a better effort to leave her with a new impression
of me。 Something to better drown her memories of our ferocious last encounter。
〃It's too bad about the snow； isn't it？〃 I said； repeating the small talk that I'd
heard a dozen students discuss already。 A boring； standard topic of conversation。 The
weather—always safe。
She stared at me with obvious doubt in her eyes—an abnormal reaction to my
very normal words。 〃Not really；〃 she said； surprising me again。
I tried to steer the conversation back to trite paths。 She was from a much brighter；
warmer place—her skin seemed to reflect that somehow； despite its fairness—and the
cold must make her uncomfortable。 My icy touch certainly had？
〃You don't like the cold；〃 I guessed。
〃Or the wet；〃 she agreed。
〃Forks must be a difficult place for you to live。〃 Perhaps you should not have
come here； I wanted to add。 Perhaps you should go back where you belong。
I wasn't sure I wanted that； though。 I would always remember the scent of her
blood—was there any guarantee that I wouldn't eventually follow after her？ Besides； if
she left； her mind would forever remain a mystery。 A constant； nagging puzzle。
〃You have no idea；〃 she said in a low voice； glowering past me for a moment。
Her answers were never what I expected。 They made me want to ask more
questions。
〃Why did you come here； then？〃 I demanded； realizing instantly that my tone was
too accusatory； not casual enough for the conversation。 The question sounded rude；
prying。
〃It's？complicated。〃
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She blinked her wide eyes； leaving it at that； and I nearly imploded out of
curiosity—the curiosity burned as hot as the thirst in my throat。 Actually； I found that it
was getting slightly easier to breathe； the agony was becoming more bearable through
familiarity。
〃I think I can keep up；〃 I insisted。 Perhaps common courtesy would keep her
answering my questions as long as I was rude enough to ask them。
She stared down silently at her hands。 This made me impatient； I wanted to put
my hand under her chin and tilt her head up so that I could read her eyes。 But it would be
foolish of me—dangerous—to touch her skin again。
She looked up suddenly。 It was a relief to be able to see the emotions in her eyes
again。 She spoke in a rush； hurrying through the words。
〃My mother got remarried。〃
Ah； this was human enough； easy to understand。 Sadness passed through her
clear eyes and brought the pucker back between them。
〃That doesn't sound so complex；〃 I said。 My voice was gentle without my
working to make it that way。 Her sadness left me feeling oddly helpless； wishing there
was something I could do to make her feel better。 A strange impulse。 〃When did that
happen？〃
〃Last September。〃 She exhaled heavily—not quite a sigh。 I held my breath as
her warm breath brushed my face。
〃And you don't like him；〃 I guessed； fishing for more information。
〃No； Phil is fine；〃 she said； correcting my assumption。 There was a hint of a
smile now around the corners of her full lips。 〃Too young； maybe； but nice enough。〃
This didn't fit with the scenario I'd been constructing in my head。
〃Why didn't you stay with them？〃 I asked； my voice a little too curious。 It
sounded like I was being nosy。 Which I was； admittedly。
〃Phil travels a lot。 He plays ball for a living。〃 The little smile grew more
pronounced； this career choice amused her。
I smiled； too； without choosing to。 I wasn't trying to make her feel at ease。 Her
smile just made me want to smile in response—to be in on the secret。
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〃Have I heard of him？〃 I ran through the rosters of professional ball players in
my head； wondering which Phil was hers？
〃Probably not。 He doesn't play well。〃 Another smile。 〃Strictly minor league。
He moves around a lot。〃
The rosters in my head shifted instantly； and I'd tabulated a list of possibilities in
less than a second。 At the same time； I was imagining the new scenario。
〃And your mother sent you here so that she could travel with him；〃 I said。
Making assumptions seemed to get more information out of her than questions did。 It
worked again。 Her chin jutted out； and her expression was suddenly stubborn。
〃No； she did not send me here；〃 she said； and her voice had a new； hard edge to it。
My assumption had upset her； though I couldn't quite see how。 〃I sent myself。〃
I could not guess at her meaning； or the source behind her pique。 I was entirely
lost。
So I gave up。 There was just no making sense of the girl。 She wasn't like other
humans。 Maybe the silence of her thoughts and the perfume of her scent were not the
only unusual things about her。
〃I don't understand；〃 I admitted； hating to concede。
She sighed； and stared into my eyes for longer than most normal humans were
able to stand。
〃She stayed with me at first； but she missed him；〃 she
